The Ghanaian News
January 2012
1
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YEAR 2011 IN REVIEW
Compiled by Jonathan Annobil, Toronto
The Year 2011 that has just passed was one that was very eventful for our community and the Land of Our Birth. There were joyful moments, historic moments, dramatic moments and sad moments. They ranged from an
official census exercise to find out the population levels in Ghana, and the honour of a Presidential visit of the Ghanaian President to Canada. The Year also witnessed high achievements by some of our community members in various fields of endeavour culminating in the hosting of the eleventh edition of the prestigious Ghanaian-Canadian Awards Night in September 2011. And the year also witnessed the sad passing of a number of our community members including the Ghana High Commissioner to Canada. We highlight below some of these moments and events we recorded over the Year 2011. JANUARY
Atta Mills visit to Canada
Royal Chiefs and Queenmothers of North American inauguration
Ghana’s population hits 24,223,431 – 12,421,770 women and 11,801661 men according to Ghana Government statiscian Dr. Grace Bediako. World Bank projected that Ghana would be the fastest growing economy in sub-Saharan African, with growth rate of 13.4% in 2011 dropping to 10% in 2012. Consul General Kodjo Mawutor meets Ahmandiyya Muslim community in Toronto Ghana High Commission in UK launches Automated Online Passport Application Charlie Peprah, grandson of the late General I.K. Acheampong was in Green Bay Packers team that won the Super Bowl. FEBRUARY
Asanteman installed new King and Queen of Toronto
H.E. Dr. Turkson's death
Nsuta Omanhene
Premier McGuinty hosts reception in honor of Black History Month at Queen’s Park Anita Takyi of Mississauga crowned Miss Awoulaba 2011. It was a unique beauty pageant for youth of size 16 plus. Black History Month Award celebration at Ghanaian Presbyterian Church Black History Month 12th Year Anniversary & Community Awards at British Methodist Episcopal Church (BMEC) 5th Edition of Toronto’s Many Faces-2011 launches at Queen’s Park The Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare Kusi was ushered in as the new Supt. Minister-in-charge of the Ghana Methodist Church, Canada Mission Circuit, Toronto Society. Black Heritage Day celebrated at Montreal Children’s Hospital by the Ghana-Canada Association. MARCH
CEANA Convention held in Toronto
Petroleum Revenue Management Bill passed into Act by Parliament in Accra Ghana World Impact Church organized Impact Empowerment Conference with Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah, Apostle General, Royal House Chapel Ghana as guest speaker. Toronto Ghanaians celebrate 54th Independence anniversary at the Ghanaian Presbyterian Church Winnipeg Ghanaians celebrate 54th Independence anniversary Calgary Ghanaians celebrate 54th Independence anniversary Ghana-born Arthur Wharton officially recognized as the world’s very first black professional footballer at Wembly during Ghana and England soccer match. Ghana 54th Independence Cultural Expo 2011 held at York U APRIL Plans to turn Oakwood Collegiate Institute into an Afrocentric School were taken off the agenda at a T.D.S.B. meeting. 2 Canadian Medical Students, Ajit Singh Rai, Bachelor of Health
Ghanaian-Canadian Achievement Awards
cont'd on pg. 20
2
The Ghanaian News January 2012
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January 2012
3
GHANAIAN-CANADIAN NURSES ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO DONATES AGAIN!
4
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Ghanaian-Canadian Nurses Association of Ontario donates again
On September 15, 2011, the Toronto based GhanaianCanadian Nurses Association of Ontario (GCNAO), donated some needed items to the Adullam Orphanage at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. This is the Association’s fourth donation to Ghanaian institutions in the past few years; the first three having been donated to three separate hospitals. Presenting the items on behalf of GCNAO, Mr. Obed Komla Adore emphasized that since the association’s objectives include the improvement of the general health of Ghanaians, the association found it necessary to assist the most vulnerable and marginalized members of the Ghanaian Community – orphaned children.
Items worth about three thousand Ghanaian Cedis (GHC3,000) were donated. The donation included bags of rice and corn, cooking oil, bathing and washing soap, toilet rolls and cans of tomato paste. GCNAO hopes that Mr. Obed Komla Adore of GCNAO in a hand-shake with Mr. Peter Uka Beidu (in cap)- manager of Adullam Orphanage in front of some of the donated items. these donated items will help to improve and support the needs. Mr. Peter Uka Beidu appreciation and requested maintained and not to be a one- behalf of his institution to children’s basic nutritional and the manager of Adullam that the relationship between his time affair. He later awarded a GCNAO. growth and developmental Orphanage expressed his orphanage and GCNAO be certificate of appreciation on
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
5
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6
The Ghanaian News January 2012
EDITORIAL 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.
President Mills should wake up and take charge This month marks the third anniversary of the assumption of office of President John Evans Attah Mills and his NDC government. Exactly eleven months from now, Ghana will embark another political journey to decide the future direction of the country: another Presidential and Parliamentary election slated for December 2012. This means that President Mills is in the last quarter of his four-year mandate. It would have been worthwhile to take stock of the performance of the President and his government towards the very end of his term of office but we are compelled to take issue now with the way the country is being run and the dangerous portends that are showing up in the country. The first major issue is the culture of political insults and threats that have dominated the political atmosphere in Ghana since the President took office in January 2009. The airwaves and print media in Ghana are saturated with political opponents throwing dirty diatribes at each other which have poisoned the peaceful atmosphere Ghanaians are used to. President Mills himself has expressed concern on a number of occasions about this state of affairs. It is sad to note that members of his party and government are leading this dangerous trading of insults and threats but despite his expression of concern, he has done absolutely nothing about them. His official spokespersons and top officials insult and threaten their opponents with impunity and he says and does nothing. Over the past two months the nation has been engulfed in a serious controversy over an obvious illegal payment of state funds to someone known to be a top financier of the ruling NDC party. Circumstances surrounding this payment are so bizarre that they call for the President to publicly come clean on where he stands on the issue, what he knows and does not know. And he has said and done nothing. Of even more serious concern for the stability of the nation is the issue of the development and encouragement of “mob rule” and violence from his own party members. There have been constant agitations from his party members to dismiss public officials that they have issues with. And each time that these roaming mobs have attacked public officials and demanded their resignations or firing, the President has succumbed to those pressures. These are very dangerous trends for the stability of the nation. And just last week a group from his party led by one of his Ministers marched to Parliament threatening opposition members. And after agitating for the firing of the Attorney General of his government which the President sadly succumbed to once again, another group from his party is demanding that all public officials in the Attorney Generals Department who are known to relate anyone belonging opposition political parties should be fired. If the President stays true to his form, he will surely succumb to this threat as well. We wish therefore to advise President Attah Mills that he was elected as President and Father of the whole nation called Ghana and not only for members of his party. And he needs to refrain from constantly giving in to the dangerous demands from his party folks on retributive justice. Ghana has come a long way. We should not descend into chaos and mob rule...again and ever!!
Opinion/ Commentary Thinking outside the Ballot Box: Transparency and Accountability also Matter in Democracy By Kwabena Akuoko Not to undervalue Ghana’s ability to freely and fairly choose or replace political leaders and governments through the ballot box, I have observed with great concern that transparency and accountability does not seem to matter as a vital democratic virtue worthy of embracing with open arms. Ghana’s democratic system is inherently focused on electoral success while it simply puts transparency and accountability at the bottom of the priority list. Ghana reasserted its political leadership in Africa in the early 1990’s when the Rawlings led military government began to “democratize” the political process. The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was re-christened National Democratic Congress (NDC) and remained in power for eight years. It lost to the Kufuor-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2000. The NPP lasted until 2008 and NDC regained power. This indicates that Ghana has the ability to conduct free and fair or successful elections without any violent incidents as has unfortunately been the case in several African countries in recent years. No wonder Ghana is heralded as a beacon for Africa’s democracy. The country has undoubtedly made great strides in its democratic efforts in the past five elections if democracy is solely measured by successful changes of government through the ballot box. Aside from free and fair election, which is the most elemental feature of democracy, I think the focus has to be extended to other important democratic concepts. The level of transparency and accountability in governance has for instance been abysmally insufficient. Beyond the successes around free and fair elections, as well as marginal improvements in others areas, our elected leaders and the public at large seem to have a very dim notion about the importance of transparency and accountability in a democratic political system. Strong emphasis on transparency and accountability is as equally important as free and fair elections in democracy. Elected leaders must always be
accountable to the people in any effective democracy. Also, the entire political system and governance have to be transparent in order to be able to expose any wrongdoing among our public officials. Transparency or accountability is an essential ingredient that helps nourish democracy. But the level of this important democratic desirable quality has unfortunately been inadequate in Ghana’s supposedly democratic political system. There is alarming transparency and accountability gaps in the system right now, therefore the leader and the political party that form the next government will have a huge responsibility to demonstrate strong support for collectivedriven efforts to ensure the integrity of governance. Several instances of senior government operatives’ alleged involvement in questionable behaviours such as bribery and corruption are in many respects attributable to government’s lukewarm attitude towards transparency and accountability as important democratic virtue. Without transparency and accountability, any political system risks becoming a fertile ground for abuse of power, bribery and corruption. Although during his tenure, former President Rawlings could not do much to preserve transparency and accountability as essential element of Ghana’s democracy I however, share his laments over what he has persistently alleged as high level of bribery and corruption within the current NDC administration. Moving forward after the upcoming elections therefore, a strong message ought to be sent to elected and other public officials who view transparency and accountability as unimportant feature of democracy and violate rules around it would be severely punished. Structurally, public agencies tasked to fight corruption must have unobstructed powers to take the government to task to ensure that transparency and accountability prevail within government and its institutions. Agencies such as Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), and Ghana Centre for Demo-
cratic Development (GCDD), Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), National Governance Secretariat (NGS), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), etc. must be fully assured of independence in carrying out their mandates. Ghana would have a better democratic future if these agencies are properly strengthened through government support to push for transparency and accountability at the top level of government, including the entire public service spectrum. This will certainly help expose and punish corrupt behaviour among our elected leaders and all government officials. It will also send a strong message to the whole population that engagement in bribery and corruption is an anti-democratic behaviour and no longer tolerated. When the level of transparency is highly inadequate as it has been evidenced by the secrecy surrounding the salaries and conditions of service for the president, ministers of state and parliamentarians for instance, it creates doubts in the minds of the citizenry about the validity of our political system. Public office-holder asset disclosure rules are also unacceptably weak and shrouded in secrecy while political patronage and official corruption remain entrenched. But both NDC and NPP governments have over the years stalled the passage of a right to information legislation, which would guarantee transparent and accountable political process, governance and public institutions. Democracy is an all-encompassing notion. It is not just about a country’s ability to conduct periodic free and fair elections. Transparency and accountability is for example a core democratic precept and formidable facet of any well-functioning democracy. But it is unfortunately not given its deserved priority in Ghana’s touted democratic system. Its inadequacy is a democratic deficit that must be seriously addressed. Ghana has nothing to lose, but everything to gain democratically by giving transparency and accountability a top priority. It is a vehicle, which must be utilized to solidify our democratic political system.
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
7
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I recently read with excitement and deep interest the article in the Business column of the October edition of The Ghanaian News on the above subject by Mr. Eddie Twumasi Smith and I eagerly long to read the subsequent articles he promised. I particularly took to heart his closing remarks/encouragement and I quote “Finally, we as a community should start thinking beyond our comfort living of traditional employment and start looking beyond with a vision to own and operate our own businesses�.
I feel the above admonition was specifically addressed to me in particular and I wish to commend him for an article well-written. Please convey this gratitude to him and to provide me with his email address or send mine to him or simply forward this message to him so I can communicate with him personally. Thanks very much to The Ghanaian News for your service to our community. Best regards Ben Kwame Poku BEN POKU b_k_poku@yahoo.com
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
Education Minister Betty MouldIddrisu resigns
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Education Minister Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu has resigned, usually reliable sources told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday night. The sources said she tendered her resignation to the presidency on Monday. Reasons for her resignation not yet clear. Her resignation followed the firing of Attorney-General Mr
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Martin Amidu for “misconduct” during a meeting at the Castle on January 13th when he failed to substantiate allegations of “gargantuan crimes” perpetrated against the state by an unnamed colleague, Mrs Mould-Iddrisu was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice when the state failed to put up a defence on the suit filed by businessman Mr Alfred Woyome for judgement debt over the abrogation of an alleged contract with the government in 2006 for the rehabilitation of three stadiums. Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu Iddrisu was born on 22nd March, 1953 in Accra. She obtained a Bachelors Degree in Law (L.L.B) from the University of Ghana, Legon between 1973 and 1976. Mrs. Betty MouldIddrisu is an accomplished lawyer and versatile scholar with a graduate degree in law (L.L.M) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, (LSE), University of London in 1978 and a B.L from the Ghana School of Law.She worked at Ghana’s Ministry of Justice from 1978 till 2003 in several capacities, rising to the rank of Chief State Attorney. In view of her expertise in Intellectual Property Law, she headed the Administration of Intellectual Property Right (Copyright) in Ghana and the Administration of Authors’ Rights at the African regional level between 1999 and 2000. From 2000 to 2003, she was in charge of the Ministry’s International Law Division where she spearheaded several cutting edge legal initiatives. These included the implementation of Ghana’s international legal obliga-
tions, some of which involved handling both national and regional legal responses to global human rights issues and others involving the rights of women and children, trafficking of persons (ECOWAS), Terrorism, (African Union) the implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, (Eminent persons panel for a global NGO) and international humanitarian law (International Committee of the Red Cross-ICRC). She is also widely known in several English speaking African countries for her work in international law, human rights and gender. She chaired both the Ghanaian and African Regional groupings of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in the 1990’s and co-founded the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) in 1999 and chaired it till 2003. Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu has written several articles and acted as a resource person, chair and expert at numerous national, regional and global fora on a wide array of legal and human rights issues. She worked as a consultant for international and regional bodies in the area of International Law, Intellectual Property Law (traditional knowledge and community rights issue) and multi lateral trade issues for the UN, its specialised bodies and other international and regional based organisations. In this capacity, she traveled extensively both in Africa and globally. In 2003, she was appointed the Director of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, an inter-governmental organisation comprising 53 member states based in London. Some of the highlights of her time at the Secretariat
include overseeing implementation of mandates in the area of transnational crime, counter terrorism and international humanitarian law. She oversaw the implementation of the Secretariats programmes on anti-corruption, asset recovery and judicial ethics. In addition, she implemented diverse legal programmes through judicial reforms, legislative drafting and building capacity in the legal field in the Commonwealth amongst others. She has given advice to Heads of States, Ministers and she is frequently called upon to give high level advice to governments, politicians and civil society. She also advises member states in the areas of international law, constitutional law and human rights and organises high level ministerial and senior officials meetings. She headed the Secretariat Team of the Electoral Observer Group to the 2006 Ugandan Elections. She acts as In-houseChief legal advisor to the Secretary General and Secretariat. In that capacity she manages a team of lawyers from diverse backgrounds and is responsible for managing her divisional budget and sourcing for extra budgetary resources. She also assists the Secretary General and his two Deputies in management of the Secretariat and represents the secretariat at Tribunals and Courts. Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu is married with three (3) children. Her hobbies are Reading, Entertaining, Traveling and the Youth. She was sworn-in in February, 2009 as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General by H.E. Prof. J.E.A. Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana. On the 4th of January, 2011, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu was appointed the Minister for Education in a re-shuffle by President Mills. GNA
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The Ghanaian News
Reshuffle By President Mills President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday made changes and appointments in Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State. This is the full text of the statement. His Excellency the President Professor John Evans Atta Mills has made the following ministerial changes/appointments: • Hon. Benjamin Kunbour is the new Attorney-General and Minister for Justice; • Hon. Alban Bagbin currently Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing moves to the Ministry of Health; • Hon. E.T. Mensah, Minister for Employment and Social Welfare replaces Hon. Alban Bagbin as Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing. 2. The new appointments are: • Mr. William Kwasi Aboah – Minister designate for the Interior • Ambassador Lee Ocran, Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa – Minister designate for Education; • Hon. Fritz Baffour Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South – Minister designate for Information;
• Hon. Moses Asaga – Minister designate for Employment and Social Welfare • Hon. Dominic Azimbe Azumah, Member of Parliament for Garu/ Timpane – Minister of State designate at the Presidency; • Ambassadoe Amin Amidu Sulemani, currently Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt - Minister designate for Upper West Region. 3. His Excellency the President has also made the following Deputy Ministerial changes/ appointments: • Hon. Stephen Ackah, Member of Parliament for Suaman – Deputy Minister designate for the ministry of Local Government and Rural DEvelopemt; • Mr. Isaac Vanderpuiye – Deputy Minister Designate for Greater Accra Region; • Hon. James AgyenimBoateng, currently Deputy minister for Tourism, moves to the ministry of
Information as Deputy minister, whilst hon. Baaba Jamal becomes the Deputy minister for Tourism; • Hon. Edward Omane Boamah, Deputy minister for Environment, science and Technology goes to the ministry of Youth and Sports as Deputy Minister, whilst Hon. Reuben Nii Nortey Dua, Deputy minister for youth and sports moves the Ministry of Water Resources works and Housing as Deputy Minister; • Hon. Dr. Mustapha Ahmed, currently Deputy Minister for Water Resources Works and Housing is now Deputy Minister for Environment Science and Technology; • Mr. Henry Ametepey – Deputy Minister designate for the Volta Region to replace Col. Cyril Neku ( Rtd.) 4 Alhaji Said Sinare has been appointed as Ghana’s Ambassador designate to Egypt. GNA
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Martin Amidu sacked Information reaching Joy FM indicates embattled Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Martin Amidu has been sacked. In the wake of his public statements alleging some key persons in government had orchestrated unwarranted media attacks on him because they believed “my integrity and professionalism as a lawyer was a threat to the concealment of gargantuan crimes against the people of Ghana in which they might be implicated,” President Mills demanded proof or a resignation letter from his AttorneyGeneral, without which he would be sacked. It appears Mr Amidu has not met the president’s demand and the axe has been brought on him. The AG’s statement attracted a sharply divided opinion – while members of the governing NDC’s communications team, riled by the statement, called for his immediate resignation or dismissal, antigraft agencies and some opposition elements insisted Mr Amidu needed to be allowed to stay to prosecute the people he claimed were committing crimes against the state. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a member of the NDC communications team who felt insulted by Mr Amidu’s statement that “The ethics of a legal profession and the Bar, of which I am a leader, are more sacred to me than that of young and inexperienced members of a communication team of the NDC who are absolutely ignorant of the functions of an Attorney-General under the Constitution of Ghana,” said the AG’s position in government had become untenable and that he must resign. Pro-government newspapers - Daily Post; the Informer; the National Democrat; the Ghanaian Lens - described by
Martin Amidu Mr Amidu as “perverse” and “rented NDC press” joined the calls for the AG’s dismissal with a unanimous banner headline, “A-G Martin Amidu Must Go!” Opposition elements hailed the AG’s bravery and forthrightness. Executive Secretary of the Ghana Integrity Initiative Vitus Azeem Thursday morning told Joy FM, the president’s demands on the AG to prove his allegations or resign else he would be sacked, were improper and represented a setback in the fight against corruption. He suggested the AG may be pressured not to reveal any proof that may embarrass government and some individuals especially in an election year. Whether Mr Martin Amidu has chosen to protect party interest by not saying anymore, or he simply puffed and couldn’t produce any proof of his allegations when challenged to do so and so fell on his own sword, is hard to tell. What is certain is that Mr Amidu’s resignation will not wish away the controversy ignited by his explosive public statement. Joy Online
Ben Kumbour takes over from Martin Amidu as acting AG Interior Minister Dr Benjamin Kumbour has been directed to take temporary charge of the AttorneyGeneral’s Department following the dismissal with immediate effect of Mr Martin Amidu for what the presidency calls misconduct. A statement signed by Chief of Staff, Mr Henry Martey Newman, said Mr Amidu conducted himself in ways incompatible with a minister of state during a meeting chaired by president John Mills last Friday, January 13, 2012. “Mr Amidu’s behaviour is incompatible with acceptable standards expected of ministers and appointees of the president,” the statement noted. President Mills has consequently directed Dr Kumbour to prosecute all cases in which the state has an interest in including the infamous Woyome judgment debt case. Only this Monday, the dismissed AG, Martin Amidu went to court to amend his writ, contending the NDC financier had no contract with the state and therefore lacked locus on which to bring an action against the state. He argued if Mr Woyome had any contract at all, it was procured by fraud. That case, the president said, and all others must be pursued to their logical conclusion by Dr Kumbour who will remain responsible for the Justice Ministry until a substantive minister is appointed.
10
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Rot at ECG: The big names behind the staggering debt Ongoing investigation into the activities of the State owned Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has brought to the fore a long list of companies and individuals owing. Companies were indebted to the ECG so much that one wondered why the artisans – corn miller, tailor and hairdresser – who owe some GH¢ 20 or less have to suffer power disconnection. Since The Promo of the investigation started airing on the Countries major media networks, debtors are currently rushing to the ECG to settle their bills The figures we bumped into upon entry into the countrywide ECG system pointed to the fact that, the ECG would without any doubt, be a profitable state institution if the company was proactive in her debt collection measures. If ECG vigorously pursued some of their grave Special Load Tariff (SLT) defaulters, they would most likely be moderate in the amount of adjustments that they seek from the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) during their quarterly reviews. The could redefine their debt collection methods. SLT customers are entities whose power load exceeds a certain threshold for which reason ECG gives them special meters known as Current Transformer (CT) meters. Aside SLTs, there is also the case of private homes and small businesses who have piled up their electricity debts and are in no hurry to settle these debts. Monies owed the ECG by SLTs and individuals from our investigations, if collected would make the outfit financially independent and sustainable to a large extent. We bring you figures of debtors as at NOVEMBER 2011, all those disputing the figures can check with the ECG, some may have settled all or some of their debts by now, yet; others may be piling more, that certainly would be unacceptable in every respect. We have figures from all ECG operational regions but our defaulters spotlight shall be on five key ECG areas, ACCRA EAST, ACCRA WEST, TEMA, WESTERN AND ASHANTI WEST REGIONS. At the end of our strenuous analysis of the horrible figures, we realized that over thousand private companies and state enterprises owed the ECG in excess of some GH¢ 460 mil-
lion, monies running into trillions of old cedis going down the drain as a result of the non collection by the company. SO WHO AND WHO OWE THE ECG? From what we gathered on the field, TIGER EYE brings to the fore the list of companies and state institutions that have used power but failed to pay for the resource. For purposes of easy grasp of what clearly is an interesting list of ECG debtors, we categorize them under the following: The high ranking hospitality outfits Top shots within corporate Ghana High-flying members of financial institutions The eminent telecommunication companies The grocery establishments and of course The State Enterprises and then The indebted academic institutions We would also bring you the list of patriotic entities; here are a group of companies who have made it their duty unlike the defaulters to settle their bills and by so doing aid the efforts of the ECG in improving their service output. WHO AND WHO OWES THE ECG? The HOSPITALITY DEFAULTERS Members of the hospitality industry owed the ECG in all five regions under the purview of our analysis; here they owed the ailing ECG varying amounts that added up to in excess of some GH¢ 1,768,210. 56. From the plush executive suites of that multinational hotel down to the not too expensive local hotel, lodge, inn etc. , a critical utility as electricity was being used without it being paid for. To start us off is the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. With their ‘Uniquely Golden and Traditionally Ghanaian’ label, they owed power debts of some GH¢ 238,621. 89, Golden Tulip Hotels with all their ‘worldwide hospitality’ tag, had paid up in
Accra East, yet owed power bills of (GH¢ 155,078. 85) at their Kumasi City branch in the Ashanti West Region. Still in the region and with the guarantee of ‘a real welcome away from home,’ Miklin Hotel, certainly did not welcome power debts of GH¢ 29,497. 14p. Shangri La Hotel with its ‘African Experience’ still had power bills of (GH¢ 33,855. 09) yet to be settled. If Kingsby Hotel treated ECG debts (GH¢ 11,667. 16) with the traditional royal touch they promise their patrons, the ailment of the utility provider should be assuaged to a large extent. “We are traditionally friendly,’ they say; but Hotel Wangara’s (GH¢ 24,917. 34p) indebtedness was miles from a friendly play with the ECG. Same was the case with Raybow Hotel who owed GH¢ 33,855. 09p, with all their ‘Elegant Luxury,’ tag in the Western Region. Tema’s Premier Hotel; Hotel Majorie ‘Y’ were indebted to the fine tune of (GH¢ 29,024. 57). Coco Beach Hotel joined the list with GH¢ 26,321. 95p as did fellow Tema based outfit, N-Joy Hotel despite promising the best of all worlds were saddled by a debt of GH¢ 26,024. 57p. Still in Tema, Royal Ravico Hotel, failed to put a touch of royalty to their debts by showcasing their unwillingness to pay their mounting power debts that had reached GH¢ 85,091. 62p as at November 2011. ‘Welcome to the premier life’ is tagline for Best Western Premier Hotel but they do not seem to have welcomed ECG debts in excess of (GH¢ 77,842. 24). The very expensive Movenpick Ambassador Hotel with their ‘passionately Swiss’ tagline perhaps forgot to be patriotically Ghanaian with their huge power debt of (GH¢ 577,631. 07). With a GH¢ 212,523. 47 debt, ‘Accra’s Business and Leisure Ad-
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Interestingly all these hotels charge their customers rates in which they embed the power component which customers must settle on entry or before exit of the facility. The FINANCIAL INSTITUTION DEFAULTERS These are institutions that deal with finance and in order to protect money which they lend out, request for collateral before granting loans; yet some of them owed power supply as at November 2011. Outfits in three ECG Regions (Accra East, Accra West and Tema) had yet to settle whooping sums in power debts to the ECG. Grave defaulters who
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surfaced in all the three regions were ‘The Pan-African Bank,’ Ecobank, whose total power debts added up to (GH¢ 320,275. 56) Societe Generale – Social Security Bank (SG-SSB), would not be left out of the list with (GH¢ 63,601. 00). Leading loans company now turned bank, Unique Trust Financial Services/ UT Bank, promised ‘a loan in 48 hours,’ to their numerous customers but had forgotten to pay debts in one of their two accounts, certainly the GH¢ 30,597. 93 was surely unacceptable.
cont'd on pg. 12
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dress,’ Alisa Hotel was in the porridge as was Sanaa Lodge Hotel stationed in ECG’s Accra West region. Other debtors included: GS Hotel (GH¢ 38,083. 70p), Ascension Hotel, East Legon (GH¢54,361. 82p), Calwell Hotel (GH¢ 77,842. 16), Chase Restaurant owed (GH¢ 27,093. 29), and VVIP, which was indebted to the tune of (GH¢ 39,184. 10p) Frankies Ltd. (GH¢ 53,347. 33) and their sumptuous ice cream did not look good as the popular food joint with branches in the capital stood accused as did the Ghana Food Court sinking in debts of (GH¢ 35,185. 60p).
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
11
Liberals chart course to rebuild the Party - Karygiannis The Honourable Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Multiculturalism, says the Liberal Party of Canada is taking bold steps to engage Canadians as it rebuilds. “Liberals made a landmark decision to open up the Party and invite Canadians to get involved in the political process by
registering as Liberal Supporters and voting in leadership races without paying a membership fee.” said Mr. Karygiannis. “This presents an exciting opportunity for more Canadians, who are concerned about the future of their country, to get involved, to come to the table and discuss their ideas and concerns.” Over 3,200 delegates from across the country
attended the Party’s Biennial Convention in Ottawa the first since the May 2, 2011 Federal General Election. “The convention had energy. The faces of Canada – youth, seniors, First Nations and Canadians who have come from around the world were there. Delegate numbers were greater than the combined number of delegates who have attended Conservative and
NDP conventions.” Mr. Karygiannis added. “Delegates proved to Canadians that the Liberal Party is re-affirming its commitment to the future of our country.” During the convention Mr. Rae met with multicultural community leaders and held a Round Table with members of the ethnic media. In his closing speech at convention Liberal Leader,
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
FOCUS
Let’s Do It the “Martin Luther King Jr.” Way! Asks Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview Middle School, Toronto “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.” – Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream Quote Peace is the most precious commodity that the world needs! Conflicts, racism, discrimination, and oppression are some of the vices which are ripping countries apart. Yes! I couldn’t agree with Martin Luther King Jr. in his statement that, “Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of an-
nihilation.” He declared that he had a dream for a more peaceful and united society, he envisioned that one day little children of all races would be able to walk down the street hand-in-hand! King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, January 15. This year the celebration of the day fell on January 16, 2012. The day was used by many, especially students in USA and Canada to reflect on the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. which drives our society on the wheels of social justice! My school used the day to engage students in focusing on their individual dreams that could help make them better students and better persons! It is my prayer that as we reflect on the dream and speeches of Dr. King, we will remind ourselves that according to Dr. King, the
purpose of education is: “To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.” Words We Use Must Uplift and Build Us as Human Beings Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a Minister of the Gospel, admonishes us to be careful with the words we use on other people. The Bible says in Proverbs 12:25 that, “An anxious heart weighs a man down but a kind word cheers him up.” How true! The words we use can build or destroy; unite or divide; bring peace or tension (even war) and so on.
Pronouncements of Some Ministers of the Gospel and Politicians in Ghana Recently: Of late an unfortunate development of unkind words being used by some Pastors and some politicians in Ghana leaves much to be desired in our beloved country. One could refer to news coverage of some Pastors using words of curse on innocent children in their efforts to prove that they are ‘powerful’! Such unbridled tongues have been left to ride their freedom in the country. This is very sad indeed. However, judgment of the Almighty God awaits those who use words to destroy others. Radio stations are being used to insult people in authority, including even the President of the nation by politicians who ought to
know better! Our political divide has become acrimonious and very shameful. How can we develop as a nation if we are at each other’s throat? Let’s pause and reflect on the following words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that “Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him.” The culture of Ghana has strong foundation in respect for authority and hospitality towards strangers. These cornerstones of our culture should not be sacrificed at the altar of hate and indecency!
Rot at ECG: The big names behind the staggering debt cont'd from pg. 10 Providence Insurance defaulted in bill payment to the tune of GHS 20,408. 28. The state owned Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) seem to be interested in serving its customers better than the ECG with debts of GHS 68,455. 96 As if the lack of bill payment by these banks was not injurious enough, some banks detailed to take electricity payments on behalf of ECG have been holding onto collected monies for as far back as 2008. This situation is causing customers and the ECG unwarranted nuisance, we would expose those banks and finance institutions in subsequent publications; STAY TUNED! TELECOM COMPANY (TELCO) DEFAULTERS The indebtedness of these companies is surprising especially considering the amount of funds that they have and continually pump into pageantry, musical shows and other media related exploits, perhaps in the light of gaining mileage within the populace. Certainly, settling their power debts which are a small fraction of their budgetary allocations for the many entertainment and sports programmes that they sponsor, would be most welcomed by an ECG that is badly in need of money to serve small scale businesses and homes. Ghana Telecom now Vodafone, on analysis were unmatched in their accumulated debt profile, the company owed in all five regions, in some cases in multiple accounts, their total debt stood at GH¢ 886,814. 15p. A breakdown of Vodafone debts are as follows; five accounts in Accra East, GH¢ 593,813. 16p;
Ashanti West debt was, GH¢ 111,073. 82p; figures for the Western, Accra West and Tema regions were GH¢ 41,442. 72p, GH¢ 49,078. 55 and GH¢ 41,442. 72p respectively. Whilst Vodafone fails to settle its power bills, they splash cash on a programme like the ‘Vodafone Icons’ as mother Ghana awaits her trapped funds to help the rural poor who hardly know anything about Vodafone’s Icons. Clearly Vodafone had failed to ‘Get On Board’ ECG’s debt collection train and had failed woefully to apply their infamous tagline; ‘Power to You,’ to their power debts owed ECG and the nation for that matter; an incredible GH¢ 886,514. 15. We hope it would be ECG’s time very soon to receive payment. Next to follow Vodafone is the yellow MTN battalion. With an estimated 10 million customers, MTN looked to have concerned themselves more with making the next million customers rather than paying for the power on which their machines were running. They were grave defaulters in three regions, Accra West, Kumasi West and in Tema. With GH¢ 115,998. 29p owed in Accra West, GH¢ 161,839. 89p in Kumasi West; and a fine Tema debt standing firmly at GH¢ 71,973. 01, the ‘Everywhere You Go’ team overall debts added up to some GH¢ 349,811. 19. Although yet to launch their operations in the country, Ghana’s sixth and last telecom network, Africa’s fastest growing network; GLO communications, and their ‘Rule Your World’ tagline, came third in this category, with an ECG debt of GH¢ 176,293. 96p in their ac-
count in the Accra West region. Kasapa (Now Expresso) had two accounts in Accra East and Accra West totaling GH¢ 98,213. 64p yet they tasked us to ‘Dare to Dream’. Their debts however fades into the background when it’s compared with that of Millicom Ghana, operators of the Tigo ‘Express Yourself ’ platoon whose account debt in Accra West read as follows: GH¢ 154,562. 00. Zain (now Airtel) had paid up their power bills in other regions but had forgotten to settle one account in Ashanti West, GH¢ 63,232. 48. For these companies, what mattered was the battle for supremacy relative to who had more subscribers, programmes, events, promotions and TV commercials. With all that media blitz, ECG was the last entity they endeavored to consider. How can we build a country like this? If we all decide to contribute our quota by paying our taxes and bills, the poverty in mother Ghana would be minimized. GROCERY DEFAULTERS/ CORPORATE GHANA The infamous Max Mart Stores still had debts yet to be cleared in one of their two accounts; the figure to be paid being GH¢ 47,832. 74. Yet this same Max Mart stores had put up a car as reward for a sale promotion. Shoprite with (GH¢ 52,577. 20) is ahead of Max Mart at the ECG. ‘Where Ghana shops,’ Melcom Ghana Ltd, owed ECG in Ashanti West GH¢ 13,941. 73 Depending on where you are coming from, they are at the entry or exit of the buzzing Osu Oxford street, they pride themselves as an outlet that is
‘catering for the needs of Ghanaians and expatriates. Koala Shopping Mall also owed some GH¢ 63,301. 80p Here, we present you with perhaps the juiciest component of the debtors’ brigade. In here is a mixed bag of some key corporate defaulters owing the ECG, the candidates herein are mind boggling, interesting and funny if you like. The infamous Opeibea House owed GH¢ 24,117. 76, their neighbours with their unique architectural design, Silver Star Towers were also indebted to the ECG to the tune of GH¢77,940. 04. Completing the maze if you will, is the Premier Towers with mounting debts of GH¢ 218,865. 47. Did their name; Millennium Heights delude them into thinking that they could hold onto their GH¢ 31,434. 93 debt for 1000 years? Mind you, all these office space renters take huge cash sums from the many corporate institutions that operate from their outfit yet they did not see it prudent to set aside the power component for payment to ECG despite the fact that businesses in such buildings would come to a halt without electricity. Ghandour Cosmetics, who pride themselves as the leading cosmetic manufacturers would not lead the crusade to pay ECG debts of GH¢ 162,670. 82; ‘We Print’ says Camelot Ghana, beyond printing they forgot to pay debts of some GH¢ 21,713. 01. Teletech Ghana owed electricity arrears of GH¢ 45,801. 61. POLY PRINT had not paidup for power of GH¢ 171,698. 82 they used to produce their quality products, a similar story was observed of
POLYGROUP, which was indebted to the tune of GH¢ 139,403. 51. Even the most popular POLY named company; POLYTANK Ghana Limited was owing 151,637. 06. Latex Foam Annex could afford its patrons ‘partnership for life’ yet they would not partner ECG in debt payment (GH¢ 26,168. 75) for life. Multinational giants, LEVER Brothers were ready to ‘create a better future daily’ for its many customers but failed woefully to pay ECG a whooping GH¢ 908,599. 34 in ever growing trapped power cash. Super Paper Products Company (SPPC) was in there with GH¢ 534,868. 05 Other companies who owed were: Air Liquide whose debtors account read GH¢ 120,272. 74; Patrons of Lifestyle Gallery paid for their stylish furniture but the outfit failed to pay ECG GH¢ 19,780. 60 of accumulated bills. Vienna City – an entertainment hub/ GH¢ 44,435. 14 as did Ikam Printing who perhaps forgot that ECG did not print currency but needed their GH¢ 30,990. 51 Reroy Cables (GH¢ 83,121. 11); these and many others owed ECG and had fallen foul of their responsibility to settle power debts. They all stand accused in ECG’s court of indebted companies. Drug manufacturing giants; Ernest Chemist/GH¢ 58,874. 38, Dampong Pharmacy owed GH¢ 14,824. 4 and were giving ECG bitter pills to swallow by their defaulting status. Importers of frozen poultry and meat products; Servister, were also inside the soup with GH¢ 88, 832. 43. The swanky Institute of Physicians and Surgeonss near the Ridge roundabout
was indebted to the tune of GH¢ 208,266. 73. Syntex Plastic Factory admit in their tagline ‘We are regularly selling’ but as per their power debts of GH¢ 103,702. 89p; we contend they are not regularly paying. In debt as well is Ckeckpoint Ghana/ GH¢ 88,608. 38; Osu Entertainment Center and E Process International owed GH¢ 20,972. 62 and GH¢ 125,010. 84 in that order. Venue for all the big state conferences and the several musical shows owed the ECG a whooping amount of money. Our amazement though is whether the place can be rented on credit; a whole Accra International Conference Center (AICC) owed GH¢ 491,769. 78. With their ‘Tradition of fine catering,’ Airways Catering owed GH¢ 108,806. 29, whiles seeking to promote ‘Empowered Lives, resilient nation,’ did the United Nations Development Programme forget to pay their bill? We ask because they owed GH¢ 181,477. 49 The instance of multiple accounts was a prominent feature especially in Tema, as a result of the heavy industrial nature of the place and the Western Region, which was home to several wood processing companies and mines. In the Western region, John Bittar Company with 5 accounts had defaulted to the tune of GH¢ 2,436,640. 24, but were upstaged by Chiranno Goldmines whose twin accounts had given birth to GH¢ 5,228,524. 90. Noble Gold Bibiani did not exhibit any nobility with debts in excess of GH¢ 1,571,140. 32. Do you know what this
cont'd on pg. 46
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
13
TALKING FINANCES Wealthy Mindset By: Gabriel Quayson, Toronto One of the key concepts to creating wealth is to understand that money is not the end goal. I once heard a phrase “money stinks when kept in one place, but when spread around it becomes like fertilizer and makes things grow.” In financial terms, it is known as diversification of your portfolio. People constantly talk about how they want to make money. In reality, it is not money they are really after. It is the things that money can buy and the freedom of time to do what they really want. While you may think this is an insignificant difference, it is actually the reason so many people never become wealthy. Most of us were taught throughout our childhood that the whole point of making money is to hoard it away and build our own ‘nest egg’. We think of this as a type of insurance against bad fortune, accidents or old age when we can no longer work. The wealthy knows that money only works when it is in motion - not when it is sitting in a bank account. You must under-
stand that wealth is an ongoing journey of growth and circulation and if that circulation is stopped, then the flow of money will cease. While it may seem that there are many roadblocks on your journey to wealth, the only real obstacle is what you believe, think, and feel about money. Most of us were raised with the ideology “Seeing is Believing” which is a negative view of life. Still, we hear it our whole lives until it becomes a part of our thought process without realizing it. Wealthy people understand that this ideology is backward - you must believe in what you can achieve before you will see it happen in your life. They know that “Believing is Seeing.” The only thing that separates a millionaire from the average Joe right now is a wealthy mindset and the foundation of that mindset is belief. In Martin Luther King’s, “I have a Dream speech”, he proclaimed “ALL MEN (persons) ARE CREATED EQUAL.” His view was
similarly reiterated decades before by John B Watson (Environmental Psychologist) “Give me a child, any child (of average intellect) before he/ she is 7 years old, and the perfect environment and I will give you whatever you want, A Doctor, A Lawyer, A Millionaire, A Billonaire, A thief, A beggar or A Pastor, etc”. The great book further indicates all things (achievements) are possible to the one that believes. The point being, all of us are blessed with the capacity to achieve what we want, the only things that stop us, is our mindset. This then means wealthy people have no special skill or knowledge. Why then are wealthy people financially better off than the average person if they possess no specialized skills or knowl-
edge than the average person? It’s because of their wealthy Mindset. The first of this type of mindset is a willingness to listen to their own heart. If you could become wealthy by listening to the masses, then the masses would be wealthy and they are not. It is a natural tendency to ask the opinions of those we love or respect. Unfortunately, we listen to their comments and biases not taking into account the results in their own lives. We make a decision to listen based on our emotional attachment rather than by looking at what they have achieved. How can anyone who has not accumulated wealth advise you on how to do it? They can’t. You need to consult those who have become wealthy, or have extensively studied and written books on the habits of the wealthy. You should also consult specialists or experts for solutions. An individual is deemed to be an expert/specialist if they possess extensive relevant experience, above average industrial relevant knowledge and high level sector-related credentials. A second mindset of the wealthy is the ability to
act when opportunities present themselves. Opportunity is often imagined to be something that you can’t miss or pass up. However, I know from personal experience that opportunity is often only a whisper that comes during some of the most trying times of life. If you read the life stories of very wealthy and successful people, you will frequently find they were fired from jobs, kicked out of school or dealt with significant personal tragedies that other people would view as devastating. They then viewed the challenges as opportunities to prosper and propel themselves to higher levels of functioning. The wealthy also understand that wealth is an ongoing process. It is not a destination you arrive at one day and then stop. It is also rarely accomplished overnight, although it can occur in a short period of time. However, if you gain wealth before you have gained a wealthy mindset then you are in danger of losing that wealth forever. We have all heard of those that win the lottery only to be near penniless a few years later. Since they
were never taught to think wealthy, they have very little chance of achieving wealth that lasts and ultimately they lose what money they have. Those with a wealthy mindset do what they love - and make money at it. Often you will see individuals who are seeking wealth like it’s something outside that they have to search for. In reality, wealth exists within you. You have activities and hobbies that you love and you can make these into your business if you choose to. Those who are successful and create a great deal of wealth do so because they are doing something they love. The money follows and is just a logical result of them realizing their dream. Money is not the dream. Whether you grow up in the worst circumstance or have every advantage or disadvantage, you have the exact same potential inside of you to create the life you want. No matter how many times you read or hear someone talk about how to become wealthy, your life will never change until you believe that it can.
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
Atomic Energy Boss, 30 others in Police custody rized security personnel from the commission to demolish and set fire to property belonging to Anaina International Limited on a disputed piece of
The Executive Director of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof. Edward Akaho has openly admitted to PeaceFM that he autho-
land at Dome-Kwabenya. Anaina is a whollyowned Ghanaian company but its construction team is led by some Chinese expatriates.
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But the project has for some time now stalled following complaints by the commission that the land in question belongs them and have consistently warned that the construction of apartments, hotels or warehouses could pose serious problems for emergency evacuations in event of any nuclear accident or incident. Prof Akaho said he even personally impressed on the National Security to intervene by pulling down the fence wall of Anaina about two weeks when he realized that they (Anaina) had begun demolished other people’s structures along the road indicating that they really meant business. Matters however came to a head this morning when the GAEC took the law into their own hands and went on a demolishing spree to force them off their encroached property. “We must exercise control over this land because we want to make sure that people do not build very close to nuclear facilities. Ghana has signed international conventions and if there is any accident we have to do evacuations. We have to protect the public and the environment so we cannot allow any encroachment in any form. I’ve said it many times that it is only a country where people do not respect laws that will allow a foreigner to build hotels, build apartments and shopping mall
very close to a nuclear facility. “This kind of thing can never happen in China. I have not taken the law into my own hands.…What happened was that after the demolition, the Chinese came back again and we did what is mopping up and this is exactly what we have done…we have done an excellent job. I’ve no regrets. And believe me if people come to this land so many times, we shall drive them away because any violation would an embarrassment to this country…If for example they are saying that I’ve no right to exercise control over this land…I’m prepared to resign. I don’t do things just because people have influences anywhere; I do things by my conscience,” the GAEC Boss told the media in front of the Atomic District Police Station. Moments after the interview, he was whisked away to the police Headquarters together with about 30 workers of the commission. The Atomic District Police Commander, DSP Afriyie Ameyaw explained that Prof. Akaho has been invited to assist in investigations. He, however, condemned the act, saying the GAEC should have used the appropriate channel to fight for their right instead of taking the law into their own hands. Peacefmonline
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The GAEC and the private company Anainia, are both laying claim to a 164 acre piece of land at DomeKwabenya. The security officials from the GAEC pulled down edifices including warehouses, make-shift housing structures for its construction workers and set fire to vehicles, water reservoir and some construction equipment such as excavators, wheelbarrows and a generator plant amongst others. So huge was the fireball that personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service in Madina had to be called in to douse the flames. Anaina intends undertaking a massive project that promises to employ more than 50,000 indigenous Ghanaians. The project, according to its handlers, is for the stateof-the-art International Business District (IBD) and will see to the setting up of offices, businesses and residential apartments, five-star hotel and casinos, supermarkets, departmental stores, recreational facilities and parks, banks, bus stations and a host of other infrastructure on a 700,000 square meter land in the LegonAtomic enclave area. Handlers of the project say it would cost not less than US$500million to complete and have thus brought in some Chinese investors to partner them in its execution.
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January 2012
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
The Ghanaian News
SUE AND CHARLIE’S
January 2012
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
N cont'd from pg. 1
Year 2011 in Review
Sciences Student and Amandeep Singh Rai, Doctor of Medicine Student undertake internship in Ghana. The Apostle’s Continuation Church Int., Toronto, held a joint Easter Convention with Apostle Brakatu as Guest Speaker. TTC essential service legislation passed at Queen’s Park Prince William and Kate Middleton weds @ Westminster Abbey Watoto Children’s choir performs at Lighthouse Assembly of God Church Ghana is 99th in World ICT Rankings as per World Economic Forum Mama Lee organizes Talk Show in Toronto for Ghana TV Mid-Volta Association of Ontario celebrates 10th Anniversary 5th Annual Joint Easter Convention – Living Word & Evangel Assemblies of God Church of Pentecost organizes 2011 Easter Convention in GTA MAY North America Mission of the Methodist Church Ghana meets for the 3rd Annual General Meeting in Toronto. Inauguration of the Ghana Methodist Church in Ottawa. Prof. Joe Mensah, Professor of Geography and Coordinator of Int. Development Studies, York University gave a public lecture in Winnipeg. Ghanaian Women’s Fasting & Prayer Conference held at the Ghana Methodist Church at 19 Penn Drive, Toronto Bob Rae chosen as Canada Liberal Party interim leader NPP Toronto chapter organized chat and dinner dance with minority leader Hon. Kyei Mensah-Bonsu as guest speaker Toronto Ghanaian SDA Church Men’s Ministry organized forum for fathers The 1st of 4 concerts, Break Free Praise 2011 in Canada to place at the Ghana Presbyterian Church with Kwaku Gyasi as the main attraction
sary. -
Bethel Prayer Ministry International celebrated 15th year anniverGaAdangbe celebrated Homowo in Toronto.
SEPTEMBER Asanteman Association of Toronto installed Nana AnokyeBresiamah and Nana PokuaGyamfiKumaniniAsantefuohene and Asantefuohemaa respectively with nana AduseiAtwenewaAmpem, Omanhene of Tepa Traditional area presiding. The 18th annual Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) Convention took place in Toronto with Hon. Minister Juliana Azumah-Mensah as guest speaker. 31 Ghanaian-Canadians honoured during the 11th Ghanaian-Canadian Achievement Awards Nite. Ghanaian rogue trader, KwakuAdboli, causes $2 billion loss at UBS. Nsutaman Association of Toronto held 1st Annual Fundraising and Dinner Dance with NsutaOmanhene, Nana AduAgyeiBonsafo III as special guests as well as TepaOmanhene Nana AduseiAtwenewaAmpem. Trinity Baptist Church of Toronto held ACTS Conference with Rev. Steve Mensah as guest speaker. African Union 6th Region Canada Foundation Inc. held Gala Dinner. Volta Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Amenorwode paid a visit to the Center for Agricultural Renewable Energy and Sustainability at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus. Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana visited Ghanaian Presbyterian Church in Toronto. Ghanaian Presbyterian Church Band launched maiden CD/DVD Church of Pentecost National Evangelism Conference held in Toronto. cont'd on pg. 45
JUNE All Nations Full Gospel Church Int’l presented the Mighty Men of Valour Conference in Toronto. Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor elected chairman of Ecowas Bank. Ex-President Kuffuor awarded food prize in USA. Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom attended the bi-annual meeting of the International Institute for Sustainable Development in Winnipeg and took time off to meet a section of the Ghanaian Community. 5 Canadian journalists went to Ghana as part of non-profit organization Journalist for Human Rights for 6 months to work in Media Houses and Universities. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana Rev. Dr. Paul Frimpong Manso and the Executive Presbytery Officers were in Toronto as part of their North American tour from June 1st to 13th, 2011. Ghana Methodist Church Ottawa Society inaugurated. All Nations Living Springs Church celebrated its 2nd Anniversary The Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church, Toronto, hosted the 13th Annual Choir Conference of the Association of Ghana Methodist Church choirs of North America. The Ghanaian Presbyterian Church, Toronto held a 10 day Congregational Fasting and Prayer Revival program. Paramount chief of WechiauNaa and MeteuNaa from Ghana visited Calgary zoo. JULY Vanessa Otuo-Acheampong crowned Ghana’s Most Beautiful Canada 2011. Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO) in conjunction with other organizations within the community organized Ghana/Canada Day at J-Lord Ross Park Farewell ad appreciation service for the Very Rev. Peter Yaw Acheampong of the Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church The Kotoka International Airport (KIA) has won the 2011 Best African Airport of the Year Award at the Routes Africa 2011 Conference in Bamako, Mali Ghanaian-Canadian Business Association of Toronto inaugurated. Annual gathering of Montreal Ghanaian’s family picnic on Canada/ Ghana Day at Howard Park in the Park Extension District. The Apostolic Church International Canada Field celebrated 75 years of proclaiming the Gospel. The 23rdAfrofestfeaturing international talents including Afrafranto representing Ghana held at Queen’s Park. Juliana Nti launches new CD at Apostolic Church. National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC) organized Canada Day Celebration in Toronto, with Liberal Leader, Hon. Bob Rae as keynote speaker. Ghanafest 2011 held in Ottawa by the Ghanaian Association of Ottawa at the Brewer Park, Ottawa. Dedication of Living Praise Ministries International Church building at 1877 Merivale Road, Ottawa. AUGUST Ghanaian Headmasters/Mistresses attend ICP 2011 World Convention in Toronto. Jessica Acquaye crowned Miss Africanada 2011 Royal Chiefs and Queen Mothers of North America inaugurated in Toronto by Nana FrimpongAnokye II, Omanhene of Agona Asante Traditional Area. Jack Layton, Leader of NDP passed away at the age of 61 after a second bout of cancer. Emancipation Day celebrated at Queen’s Park, Toronto. Akumaa Mama Zimbi, Ghanaian Women’s right leader, TV and radio broadcast journalist visited Toronto and Montreal. African Canadian Cultural Jamboree held at Yorkgate Mall. Ghanaian-Canadian Youth Council and other professionals in partnership with Church of Pentecost Youth Ministry organized career fair
Recipe
Ingredients:
Grilled Tilapia
2 Fresh Tilapias 2 teaspoons powdered pepper (cayenne pepper) 2 teaspoons of grounded fresh ginger 1 teaspoon of fish seasoning 4 teaspoons of cooking oil
Method: 1---- wash and gutter the Tilapia 2----make 2 insertions on both sides of the Tilapia with a knife 3----mix the ginger, the pepper, fish seasoning and the cooking oil together 4----Rub around and inside of the Tilapia and bake in a pre heated oven of 350 degrees for 20 minutes and serve Goes well with Banku, Kenkey or Fried Yam. Bon- Apetit
Profile of Stephen Kwesi Asiedu, Chef Chef kwesi Asiedu was born in kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He studied catering at Sunyani Techenical Institute now known as Sunnyani Polytecnic. He then went on to open his own catering school, named Blackberries Catering Institute with a Restaurant attached in kumasi. Due to his hard work, enthusiastic, energetic, and love for what he does which is "cooking delicious food" he quickly established rapport with his coustomers and the community in which he served. He was able to provide delicious(mouth watering) food, that earned him a contract as a special event planner and caterer for Ashanti regional cordinating Council, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assesmbly including dignitaries. He was also assigned to cater for the Officals of the Afican Cup of Nations in 2008. He relocated to Canada in 2009 and currently works as a chef at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Mississauga. In Canada, he catered for the Kumasi Asafo Social Club in Toronto in 2010 and the Kumasi Youngsters (high Blood) in Toronto in 2011. He also caters for wedding rectioptions and many more.
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
21
African viewpoint: Leaping into 2012 People celebrating New Year ’s eve at Tahrir Square, Cairo Thousands of Muslims and Christians celebrated New Year’s eve at Tahrir Square, in Cairo, hoping for better times ahead In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, former BBC Focus on
Africa deputy editor and Ghanaian government minister Elizabeth Ohene looks into her crystal ball and tells us what to expect from the year ahead. There is much unfinished business from 2011, the year of the contagious revolution; and having failed to predict the phe-
nomenon, we, journalists and commentators will try to read into every street demonstration echoes of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. My prediction is that Egypt and Libya will still provide more stories this year than Swaziland and Angola. I am predicting a num-
ber of state funerals, not quite at the North Korean level, but close” Am I suggesting then that the contagion has stopped, I hear you ask. No, I am afraid the genie is out of the bottle and we will continue to see big changes on the political landscape.
However, I suspect there will be more intervention from the Big Reaper this year instead of young people having to face armoured tanks and tear gas to change their leaders. I am predicting a number of state funerals, not quite at the North Korean level,
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but close. There are interesting elections coming up, with Senegal kicking off things in February. Robert Mugabe At 85, President Mugabe wants to serve another term in office There will be fireworks and Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade will pull out all the stops to try and win a third term. Africa’s longest lasting multi-party democracy is in for a tumultuous time. The elections in Mali will hopefully pass off without as much drama whilst we all hold our breaths for the Kenyan elections. Kenya thoroughly frightened all of us the last time it tried to hold elections and indeed, we have not seen the end of that debacle. In Zimbabwe the government of national unity would seem to be ready for dissolution. President Robert Mugabe says he is prepared to hit the campaign trail again aged 85 and claims he will lead his Zanu-PF party into another election victory. I am not holding my breath. I do wish I could tell if there will be long overdue presidential elections in Angola, but normal rules do not seem to apply to the venerable Jose Eduardo dos Santos. There will be elections in Sierra Leone and in Ghana and I hereby declare more than journalistic interests in the Ghana ones about which there will doubtless be more later. There will of course be the football fiesta, the African Cup of Nations, to be held in the unfamiliar grounds of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. I predict that football pundits will be suggesting that the competition will be somehow devalued by the absence of Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria. Ghana’s Black Stars training Will Ghana’s Black Stars win the the African Cup of Nations? When the captain of the Ghana national team, the Black Stars, holds up the cup at the end of the competition, let’s all remember that those three nations were defeated in the qualifying rounds. The Kenyans will shine again at the Olympics and their performance will make it worthwhile to watch the games to be staged in London. In South Africa, the ANC, Africa’s oldest liberation movement celebrates its 100th birthday this January. Unfortunately, the celebrations will be overshadowed by the struggle between President Jacob cont'd on pg. 43
22
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Give Us Cooked Food Incalcerated Juveniles
September may be months away, but it’s already time to start thinking about the start of the next school year.
By Joyce Bosahemaa Fosu and Jemma Pietrus
Juveniles in correctional institutions have appealed to donors of food meant for their upkeep to provide it cooked instead of the raw form. This is because raw food items often end up in the homes of officials of the institutions and with government providing 60 pesewas a day per inmate, for feeding, they end up with meager rations. According to findings by Child Research Centre (CRECENT), many of the juveniles were thus denied sufficient amount of the nutrition needed for their physical, mental and emotional development. The findings were based on a research on: ‘Juvenile Justice’ presented by the Executive Director of RECENT, Mrs. Susan Sabaa at its launch in Accra yesterday. The research is part of a project on: “Preventing and combating all forms of violence against children and youth in justice institutions or in conflict with the law” funded by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with Plan Ghana. Mrs. Sabaa identified the numerous institutional weaknesses in the correctional facilities as a major factor which undermined the rights of juveniles and indicated that the inhumane manner in which juveniles were treated created negative effects on their psychological health and rarely aided their personal growth.
Kindergarten registration begins
“There was one particular correctional centre where all the inmates smelled very badly. After much probing it was discovered that a leakage in the water closet toilet leaked onto the floor of their dormitory and had been left unattended to for years,” she added. She said many of the inmates often felt intimidated by the officers’ disciplinary methods, adding that approximately 85 per cent of juveniles in correctional facilities carried a fear of being beaten. Mrs Sabaa mentioned dysfunctional homes as one of the critical factors giving rise to the juvenile crimes in the country, adding that often children, over 80 per cent of whom do not live with their parents, are left unsupported and end up engaging in all sorts of illegal acts. Mrs. Sabaa therefore made a passionate appeal to parents and guardians to strive to make their children’s welfare and safety a top priority. When the Times contacted the Senior Correctional Centre, formerly Borstal institute, the Deputy Director of Prisons, Stephen Cofie Esq, denied the allegation by the inmates that raw food items meant for inmates were sent home by officials. He said their facility had strict rules regarding such issues and any time organisations brought raw food items, they were well documented and kept at the store for use by the kitchen staff. cont'd on pg. 39
In many schools across the province, parents can now register their four- and fiveyear-olds to start full-day kindergarten in September 2012. This fall, full-day kindergarten will be offered in about 1,700 schools across Ontario and almost half of the province’s four- and five-year-olds will participate in this transformational program. The full-day kindergarten program features play-based learning, which encourages children to explore the world around them, interact with their classmates and develop socially, emotionally and physically. A teacher and an early childhood educator work together during the day to help children learn, play and grow. Where there is sufficient parent demand, schools may also
offer an optional before- and after-school program. Research shows that children who participate in early learning get a solid foundation for future learning and a strong start toward long-term health benefits. To register for full-day kindergarten, you will need your child’s identification documents, such as a birth certificate, a birth registry/baptismal certificate, an Ontario Health Card and an immunization record. Requirements vary by school board. Contact your local school or school board for more details about registration, what kindergarten programs are offered, and the availability of before- and after-school programs. For more information about full-day kindergarten, visit Ontario.ca/kindergarten.
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
23
Ghana - Canada History
*Bilateral trade* between our countries is significant. Ghana is Canadaâ•™s third largest market in sub-
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Ghana was the first country in Africa to receive aid from Canada and is currently Canada’s fourth-largest development partner in the world. Ghana is a country of focus for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Freedom, stability and rule of law have made Ghana an attractive home base for Canadian companies serving all of West Africa. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce â•“ Ghana has over 100 members. Canada and Ghana have begun discussing a bilateral investment agreement. Due to a rebasing of the GDP and in light of the oil/gas industry, Ghana is now a middle income nation. Additional business development opportunities for Canadians are emerging in mining, education, infrastructure and oil and gas.
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In 1906, missionaries from Quebec, /Les Pères Blancs/, established a church in northern Ghana marking the arrival of a *Canadian presence* in the country. Since then, Ghana has attracted the interest of thousands of Canadians who have contributed to the development of modern Ghana and to building ties between our two countries. Canada has been represented in Ghana by the Canadian High Commission to Ghana since 1957. Ghana has maintained a diplomatic presence in Canada through its High Commission in Ottawa since 1962. Over the last decade, several Canadian cabinet ministers have made *official visits* to Ghana, as did the former Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, the first such visit by a Canadian Head of State. Exchanges at the parliamentary level are also frequent between the two countries. Most recently, Ghana welcomed a visit by the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association in January 2011.
Saharan Africa for merchandise exports, after South Africa and Nigeria. From 2000 to 2008, bilateral trade has increased 193%. In 2009, Canadian direct investment reached $536 million. Canadian businesses have invested over $1 billion in Ghana, mostly in the mining sector.
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24
The Ghanaian News January 2012
IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL ISSUES By: James A. Kwaatemg, B.A. (Hons), LLB (Hons)
Port of Entry Examinations and Examinees’ Right to Counsel The issue of right to counsel and counsels’ involvement in port of entry examinations has been discussed in an article published in 2009. However, the topic is being revisited in view of the continued misapprehension and controversy surrounding it. As indicated in my previous article on the issue, section 18(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provides that all persons seeking to enter Canada, including Canadian citizens, must be examined to determine whether they have a right to enter Canada or whether they may be authorized to enter and remain in Canada. In almost all cases, even if an examination is done outside Canada, another examination is conducted at a port of entry. The port of entry examination may include a primary and a secondary examination. Primary examinations are done by a Border Ser-
vices Officer (BSO) at the Primary Inspection Line (PIL) while secondary examinations are conducted by a BSO at Immigration Secondary examinations following a referral from a BSO at PIL. The examination process usually commences when a person arrives at a port of entry. This could be a land border, an airport, a marine harbour or any other place designated as a port of entry. The primary examining officers are responsible for questioning persons and reviewing documentation to determine whether persons – be the persons, Canadians, permanent residents or resident Indi-
ans - have a right to enter Canada or whether foreign nationals should be authorized to enter Canada as temporary residents. Primary examination questions are designed to elicit essential information about citizenship, residency, intention, employment, length of stay and identity as quickly as possible. A person may be referred for a more detailed Immigration Secondary examination by the BSO at PIL when appropriate or when the circumstances of his or her case require a more detailed examination. The examining BSOs at Immigration Secondary examinations have several responsibilities which include determining and dealing with admissibility issues, receiving refugee claims and determining eligibility to make such claims; and issuing removal orders.
involved in these examinations. Counsels are not generally involved in the Primary Immigration examinations. It is a general policy of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) not to permit counsels at examinations if detention has not occurred. But it is a requirement that if the person is detained, the detained person must be informed without delay of his or her right to counsel and be granted the opportunity to retain and instruct counsel. What constitutes a “detention”? The Supreme Court of Canada, in 1993, held that an Immigration Secondary examination at a port of entry does not constitute a “detention” within the meaning of subsection 10(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court determined that the principles of fundamental justice do not include the
right to counsel for routine information-gathering such as port-of-entry examination interviews. Thus, the right to counsel may arise only after the initial examination. If the examination does not go beyond what is required to establish admissibility, the need for legal counsel may not arise. Also, if the foreign national is not restrained in any way but advised to come back the next day for further examination as outlined in section 23 of IRPA, then, they are not deemed detained and there may be no right to legal counsel. However, the behaviour could constitute a “detention” and necessitate legal representation in situations where; a foreign national is held for a lengthy period of time and is subject to questioning by other agencies such as the RCMP or CSIS; or where restraining devices are used or the foreign
A question arises as to when a counsel could be
national is placed in a holding cell, even if temporarily; or where the foreign national is detained overnight in a detention facility. It should be noted that officers have the legal right and power to ask persons who arrive at a Canadian airport or any point of entry, a few questions, regardless of the persons’ immigration status. The right to counsel becomes an issue only when the officers detain the person or go beyond what could reasonably be described as a routine informationgathering stage. James A. Kwaateng, is an Immigration Law practitioner with offices located at 168A Oakdale Road, Suite 4, Toronto, Ontario. For thorough discussion of your immigration and related social and legal issues, contact him at telephone number (416) 743-2758.
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
25
Ghana GDP growth falls to 12 percent y/y Ghana’s unadjusted GDP growth fell to 12 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2011 from a revised 17.6 percent in the second quarter of 2011, Ghana’s statistics office said on Wednesday. The deceleration in one of West Africa’s fastest growing economies and newest oil producer came as a surprise with analysts saying it was not immediately evident what had led to the slowdown. Nalini Cundapen, Emerging Markets strategist at Societe Generale, said that although the figure was lower than market expectations of 13.8 percent, it was still a solid growth. Philomena Nyarko, Ghana deputy government statistician said Ghana’s economy witnessed “significant” declines in net indirect taxes, fishing, financial and insurance activities that led to the drop in growth, compared with the second quarter. “Net indirect taxes recorded negative 33.4 percent and this was enough reason for the shortfall,”
Nyarko told a news conference. Standard Chartered analyst Razia Khan said the slowdown was unlikely to have been caused by Ghana re-adjusting its growth figure from a high base last year or technical problems which has hobbled the country’s oil production hitting the targeted 120,000 bpd. “Clearly, technical difficulties with oil production started to weigh more heavily in Q3 2011 - with Ghana’s oil production not rising to 120 000 bpd as had been hoped,” Khan said. “But even so - this is a factor more likely to impact on quarter-onquarter growth, than the year-on-year print.” Khan said the GDP figure was unlikely to change investor sentiments, adding that any eventual deceleration in non-oil growth should help reduce the import demand that has weighed on the Ghana cedi currency. “The big picture - despite this print -is that Ghana’s medium term outlook remains favourable,” Khan said. “Ultimately, this will mat-
ter a lot more to long-term inflows, with current levels of USD-GHS (Ghana cedi) providing an attractive entry point, although investors may well seek reassurance that further rapid depreciation of the currency is unlikely.” The Ghana cedi has tumbled to new lows against the dollar in the new year as demand for the greenback by local and foreign investors has outstrip inflows including Central bank supplies. Societe Generale’s Cundapen said the Bank of Ghana must step up its intervention through frequently selling dollars on the interbank market and tightening liquidity so as to help reassure the market of their commitment to stabilizing the currency. “We believe the Bank is not being proactive enough to raise rates given the inflationary risks on the horizon and the fact that they have allowed the currency to depreciate so much before making recent announcement of concern,” Cundapen said. Cundapen said Ghana’s
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widening trade gap will continue to weigh on reserves and the currency and this, coupled with foreign investor concern over fiscal discipline leading up to the December elec-
tions will add pressure to Ghana’s reserves which only cover under 4 months of imports. Ghana also said on Wednesday that annual producer price inflation
index fell to 15.19 percent in December, from a revised 17.94 percent in November as mining and quarrying activities fell due to a drop in gold prices. Reuters
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
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Yours truly, The Crusading GUIDE has discovered how Benjamin Brako Bismark, under the stool name Nana Osae Ntifo Ababio, the Chief of Aburi and Adontenhene of Akuapim disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1982 when he was picked to Gonda barracks by Ex-President Rawlings and his cronies.
including having many cars, houses, and many other properties.
Our findings have revealed that B.B. Bismark, then a successful self made business magnate, was picked to the Gonda barracks in a military vehicle where he shared a common cell with the then Henry Djaba without any clear charges leveled against him but for the flimsy charges brought against him by Rawlings and his boys
Close family allies told the Crusading Guide that the business magnate who was also one time team manager of the Ghana Black Stars in the era of John Eshun, had warned Gen. Akuffo against Rawlings.
Nana Osae Ntifo Ababio, the Chief of Aburi and Adontenhene of Akuapim, according to Mr. Deep Throat, was given an ‘identification haircut’ thus, his hair was shaved by the military chaps.
“There has been no trace of him since he went to the Gondar Barracks in 1982. Though many believe that
he died in the hands of the military chaps, his body has still not been found to be given a befitting burial that a true royal and true son of Akuapim (Aburi) deserves.” This paper learnt. B. B. Bismark’s family testified at the recent National Reconciliation Commission (NRC). The sons and daughters of Aburi are still crying out to ex- president Rawlings to show them some respect by telling them where the great omanhene’s body could be found so they could lay his spirit to rest in a befitting manner as tradition and custom demanded. Author: Musa Kankani
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The Ghanaian News 416 916-3700
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
27
Constitution Must Ensure People’s Right To Food - GAW The General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the Ghana Trades Union congress is advocating strongly for a constitutional provision on the right to food for all Ghanaians. It said ýÿfood is fundamental to human survival and it is necessary for everyone to have access to food.ýÿ The union, has therefore, urged the Constitution Review Commission to include in the Constitution, the right to food as a fundamental right of every Ghanaian resident. A statement signed by the General Secretary of the
union, Kinsley OfeiNkansah, said ýÿmillions of Ghanaians are hungry because they cannot afford to buy balanced diet. ýÿMeanwhile, international laws, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) which Ghana was the first to ratify, bind the government to respect the right to food as a constitutional right.ýÿ Giving the relevant portions which make the right to food an obligation, GAWU said Article 11 of ICESCR states that: The States parties to the present covenant
recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free content. ýÿThe states parties to the present covenant, recognizing the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger, shall take,
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individually and through international co-operation, the measures, including specific programmes, which are needed.ýÿ GAWU said it had submitted a petition to the Commission to support earlier ones by a number of organizations, including ActionAid Ghana and the Food Security Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN). It observed that although the food production had increased over the years, countries were recording increasing levels of hungry people. ýÿAs far back as 2005, there were a quarter of a billion people hungry in the world;
today there are about 1billion people hungry in the world; that is why the right to food has become so important,ýÿ it stated. Explaining how to ensure that right to food is respected by the government should it be included in the Constitution, Mr. OfeiNkansah said ýÿthere are three levels of obligations within the context of right to food which have been accepted under international laws,ýÿ and named them as: ýÿthe State must respect, protect, and fulfill the rights to food.ýÿ
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He said ýÿthe State shall not do anything which reduces peoplesýÿ stability to food, so for example the government shall not get up and clear 10,000 people from their lands with no s u b s t a n t i a l compensation.ýÿ In terms of the implementation and realization of the right to food in the Constitution of some African countries, he said South Africa was exceptional because ýÿthere is a strong commitment to the right to food in their Constitution and Bill of Rights.ýÿ
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28
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Remembering those who passed on last year May their souls rest in peace
Christiana Kumi - 55 yrs Nov. 26, 2011
Theophilus Oteng Nuamah 31 yrs June 29, 2011
Selina Asante 48 yrs Dec. 4, 2011
Pearl Ekua ThompsonMefful - 43 yrs 2011
Daniel AdjeiKumi - 54 yrs Feb. 16, 2011
Adrian Justin Adjei-Manu 17 yrs March 7, 2011
Alexander Agyapong Sarpong - 58 yrs
Comfort Tsotso Kotei 65 yrs April 13, 2011
Connie AduPeasah Dec. 17, 2011
Francis Kwaku Agyare 74 yrs Nov. 18, 2011
Georgina Akoto Mensah 82 yrs Feb. 20, 2011
George Ahunu-Kumi April 23, 2011
Jemimah Agyapong 53 yrs
Nana Agyemang Prempeh 26 yrs Nov. 1, 2011
Nana OwusuAsamoah 26 yrs Feb. 19, 2011
John Kofi Amoah - 63 yrs June 14, 2011
Kwasi Yeboah 50 yrs Feb. 15, 2011
Malcolm Sika Gyamfi 14 yrs June 26, 2011 Badu Boateng
Ottawa
OBITUARIES
Benjamin Owusu Brefo - 29 yrs
Boakye Yiadom (J.B.) videographer passes away in Ghana @ 51 Died on January 18th, 2012 after a short illness. He left behind a wife and 3 children Funeral arrangements to be announced later
Kermah Blay passes away in Montreal @ 52 Died on the 14th of January 2012 Viewing - March 2nd 2012 Burial - March 3rd 2012 in Montreal
Jimmy Apraku 51 yrs March 3, 2011
Frederick Brobbey 53 yrs Feb 8, 2011
Kofi Fofie 57 yrs Sept. 29, 2011
Gustav Dawson 61 yrs Feb. 1, 2011
Richmond Mensah-Turkson 33 yrs Feb 5, 2011
Samuel Gakpetor Terence 54 yrs Kurtis - 45 yrs Sept. 23, 2011 Oct. 26, 2011
Lisa Adomako H.E. Dr. Richard Benjamin 22 yrs Turkson - 68 yrs May 8, 2011 Nov. 23, 2011
Isaac Osei Mensah Aug. 10, 2011
Nana Akua Fosua - 57 yrs Nov. 19, 2011
Sebastian "Wassa" Hasford 44 yrs July 2nd 2011
George A. Neequaye - 73 yrs May 11, 2011
Isaac Kweku Gyasi - 40 yrs Nov 2, 2011
Emmanuel K.K. Adotey passes away February 8, 1946 – January 2, 2012 Suddenly at home on Monday, January 2, 2012 at the age of 65, Son of Lucy Adotey (nee Agbewornu) and the Late Joseph Adotey. Loving husband of 38 years of Stella (Kuzoe). Loving father of Patricia (Richard) and Jason (Cheryl) Adored grandpa to Elijah, Evangeline, Ethan and Erika. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. Emmanuel had a successful career in the Public Service with the RCMP. He retired April 2011 after 25 years of service. Funeral service was held on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at Holy Redeemer Church, 44 Rothesay Drive, Nanata. In lieu of flowers donations The Late Emmanuel K.K. Adotey to the Heart Stroke Foundation will be appreciated. www.kellyfh.ca
Francis Baffour died at 54 January 16th 2012 at Humber River General Hospital, Etobicoke Site He left behind his wife Comfort Baffour and 4 children
Abena Kwatemaa The Ghanaian News JanuaryOffeh-Gyimah 2012
29
Community Information House For Sale House No. Z3A/181, Lebanon Zone 3, Ashaiman near Michel Camp, Community 22, Tema, Ghana
The Immigrant TV Talk Show Series Launching on January 9th 2012 on Rogers TV! Channels 63,10 •Mondays: 1pm •Wednesdays: 9.30am •Saturdays:‘10.30pm
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This is a 4 bedroom single-storey residential building. It is fenced with sandcrete block wall and fitted with two metal gates. The compound is predominantly paved with some few trees. This house is a bungalow with attached warehouse fitted to house 40 footer cantainer goods, 2 washrooms, self contained master bedroom with water heater kitchen with cabinets. TENURE:
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905-565-0059
Black History Month Award Celebration February 11th, 2012 @ 4:00 pm Ghanaian Presbyterian Church 51 Highmeadow Place (Finch/Weston Rd) Performers: Nutifafa Afrikan Persormance Ensemble Sekyereman Cultural Dancers The Bobie Ansa Sisters The Levites Annabel Twum, and more
Celebration the Next General for more information call Joseph Abankwah at 905-796-8742 or 647-892-8742
For more information please visit: www.theimmigranttalkshow.com and let us know what you think
Calling All Toronto Ghanaian Certified Teachers and Educators There will be a meeting of all Ghanaian Certified Teachers and Educators in Toronto at the Auditorium of
Living Word Assembly of God Church 139 Millwick Drive - (Islington/Millwick) on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. The main speaker for the occasion is Professor Joe Mensah. Light refreshment will be served. R.S.V.P.
Mr. Kweku Bilson Ekwam 905 553 6825 abeiku@rogers.com
30
The Ghanaian News January 2012
The
Youth Journal MOVINGFORWARD WITH OUR YOUTH THE FUTURE OFOUR COMMUNITY
Uncovering the Contradictions within Canada’s Child Labour Policy
The Ghanaian News online Check it out www.ghanaiannews.ca
Time to Embrace Our Common Responsibility
By Kwabena Akuoko, MSW, RSW, Toronto By Kwaku Wirekoh-Boateng
Child labour or the employment of minors on regular basis in the same way as adults is abhorred in many parts of the world. Canada and the rest of the developed world often take developing countries to task for supposedly exploiting children for their labour. Unsurprisingly therefore, countless individual Canadians and non government organizations (NGO’s) are extensively involved in the global fight against child labour. Mr. Craig Kielburger is for example well known for his anti-child labour efforts in and outside Canada. At 12 years of age, the young Canadian founded the internationally known child-focused NGO, Free The Children to help address the problem of child labour across the globe. Free The Children and similar Canadian NGO’s have obviously earned Canada the reputation of being the champion for vulnerable children around the world when it comes to child labour. Given its advocacy for children’s welfare globally, it would seem logical and consistent that Canada would have one of the most far-reaching child labour policies compared to other international jurisdictions. Surprisingly however, Canada has a laidback, unenthusiastic and fragmented child labour policy. It does not for instance have a standardized minimum age at which minors can legally work. It is not coincidence that critics have contended that the federal government and its provincial counterparts are in a way facilitating the same problem Canada is widely known for working hard to eradicate around the world. Clearly, therefore, Canada contradicts itself by inadvertently engaging in the exploitation of minors through the lack or lax harmonized child labour policy. Each provincial and territorial government basically has legal jurisdiction to craft its own policies related to child labour. The provinces and territories have legislative control over what minors can and cannot do to earn wages. This includes, but not limited to, the minimum age a young person can start working, maximum hours and types of employment. Undoubtedly, Canada needs a standardized policy that effectively deals with child labour in the same vein as its counterparts in the developed world. As a matter of fact, lack of uniform child labour policy or coordinated approach to dealing with the issue is quite contradictory. Some advocates have even argued that the fragmented, or lack of uniform approach to child labour policy clearly undermines Canada’s reputation as a champion for children’s welfare globally. Right now, what is legal in one jurisdiction in Canada when it comes to child labour is more or less illegal in another. The minimum age for a young person to work varies across the country depending on the provincial or territorial jurisdiction. At age 14 for instance, a youth
may start working most jobs in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador. In Alberta, a 12 year-old minor may work up to two hours a day during a school day and no longer than eight hours on weekends, between six o’clock in the morning and 9 o’clock at night. Similarly a child 12 years old or even younger can work in British Colombia, but with permission from the province’s Director of Employment Standards. The minimum age is a bit higher in Manitoba at which the youngest workers are 16 years of age. There are specific tasks that youth under the age of 16 can for example be hired to do in the Province of Nova Scotia. Also, age, time and other restrictions for minors’ involvement in the paid labour force apply in Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and the three territories. The differences in age at which children may be employed in various Canadian jurisdictions are in fact inconsistent with international standards. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 215 million children between 5 and 17 years of age are currently working around the world. While the vast majority of child labour and its exploitative conditions take place in the developing world, it goes without saying that the problem does actually exist in Canada. In fact, some critics argue that child labour is prevalent in many communities across Canada simply because of the lack of across-the-board and unvarying child labour policies. It might also interest and even surprise many Canadians to realize that Canada has to date not ratified the 1973 ILO’s Convention 138, which sets the basic minimum age for employment of minors at 16. Canada’s status as a defender of children’s welfare and rights internationally and its lack of comprehensive and standardized child labour policy is not only contradictory, but also mind bugling, to say the least. Canada’s lack of standardization across the spectrum in terms of when children can legally begin to participate in the paid labour force and the hours they are allowed to work in a day and many others are examples of some of the contradictions within Canadian child labour policy. Also, Canada’s repute position on child labour and its refusal to ratify ILO’s Convention 138, which specifically sets the international standards for child labour, is contradictory. Clearly, Canada needs an across-the-board national policy aimed at protecting Canadian minors when it comes to their involvement in paid work. The irony however is that many Canadians are unaware that our country is an international slowcoach on child labour policy. Canada’s lack of standardized child labour policy is a double standard and does not measure up to its standing as a global leader in the fight against child labour.
In recent years, many young GhanaianCanadians have graduated from post-secondary institutions and entered the workforce, and many more will undoubtedly follow suit. This favourable development signifies a promising future for Ghanaians in Canada. As more of us enter the middle class, existing problems that plague our community will be mitigated. If this promise is to be realized, however, it is incumbent upon us to collectively channel our resources toward the betterment of our community. It is becoming increasingly clear that, as a people, we are at a significant watershed. We are in the midst of a transition period in which there is an evident shift of economic power from first-generation Ghanaian-Canadians to their children. This essentially places the younger generation in a position of
greater responsibility. The way in which our generation responds to this responsibility will determine our future collectively. While there is much cause for optimism, there exists a rather unfortunate issue worthy of attention. I have met many young Ghanaians who harbour the desire to dissociate themselves from the community upon their attainment of “socioeconomic status.” This unfortunate sentiment is one that has gained currency among some of our youth, and it threatens the progress and development of the Ghanaian community. There are many possible reasons as to why some entertain this view, and in fact, it would be unfair to condemn categorically every person who feels this way. In my experience, however, I have realized that the common theme that underpins this sentiment is a misguided sense of cultural inferiority. It is the belief that one’s own culture and people are inferior to that of another group. Although this ruinous notion is by no means particular to Ghanaians, it is a significant problem. Those who hold this view tend to disengagement from their people upon achieving of a certain level of educa-
tion or career status. Because they perceive themselves as having risen above their communities, they strive to assimilate into another group they deem superior. This behaviour inevitably brings about negative outcomes for both the individual and his or her community. It creates a perpetual cycle in which the community continually loses some of its brightest and most successful individuals, and remains economically stagnant. In order for the Ghanaian community to progress, it is essential that members of the young generation abandon this self-defeating notion. We have to begin to cultivate an unwavering sense of cultural pride and responsibility. Before we can develop that, however, we must first learn about our people and our history. In doing so, we stand to gain important nuggets of wisdom. It is imprudent and shortsighted to find contentment in individual knowledge and achievements alone. Our expertise should be coupled with a sense of commitment to communal development – that is the essence of education. Only through such commitment can we effect positive change in our community.
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The Ghanaian News
January 2012
31
BUSINESS Small Business Financing Do I need a Will? By: Konstantine Chatzidimos and Jayson Schwarz
By Eddie Twumasi Smith Bsc(Hons) Chem Eng, MBA,CGA
you. Business financing does not come free so you should be aware of the responsibilities before committing to something you cannot afford.
Small business financing has been the albatross around the neck of many entrepreneurs and a challenge for many business start ups. Those with innovative business ideas are limited by the lack of finance as such are not able to translate business models into living enterprises. Below, I have gathered some sources of funding that the Canadian Government has made available to support business start ups and those SMEs facing funding challenges. Business Plan The first thing will be to focus on your business plan. This may be the most overrated piece of advice but it potentially the most crucial. Without a plan you will make horrendous mistakes that may even lead to the failure of your business and thus it is worth spending the time to create something that will truly be your guiding light. It is worth saying, a good research into your niche market or market segment and the potential revenue streams, will help in determining your sales forecast, potential expenses and realistic profitability margins over the planning period. Having developed your business plan one can consult Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) for review and advice on business plan. BDC is able to support start up business with professional consultation and financing where a proposal meets their requirements. Financing Business financing in Canada can take on various forms, equity, debt, venture capital, angel investors, government loans & grants, but it is important to choose the one that best suits your requirements. Remember to analyze each form carefully so that you understand what is expected from
The Government of Canada through the Small Business Financing Act has provided access for small business start ups in order to promote employment. Below are the key requirements Canada Small Business Financing Program (CSBFP) Under this program the Government of Canada makes it easier for small businesses to get loan from financial institutions by sharing the risk with lenders. On the average the program helps small businesses access more than 10,000 loans ranging over $ 1billion each year. Who Can Apply for CSBFP and Under What Terms? Small businesses in Canada operating for profit with annual gross revenue less than $ 5Million. Up to a maximum of $500,000 for any one business, of which no more than $350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and purchasing or improving new or used equipment. Financial institutions deliver the program. Industry Canada does not participate in making the decision to accept or refuse your loan application. Those interested in the CSBFP can discuss their business needs with a financial officer at any bank, or credit union in Canada. The financial officer will review your business proposal and make a decision on your loan application. Once the decision is made to offer financing under the program, the financial institution will register the loan with Industry Canada. Loans can be used for financing up to 90% of the cost of: * purchasing or improving land, real property or immovable * purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property * purchasing or improving
new or used equipment For example, you can use a loan to finance: * buildings and land * commercial vehicles * hotel or restaurant equipment * computer or telecommunications equipment and software * production equipment You cannot use a loan to finance items such as: * goodwill * working capital * inventories * franchise fees * research and development What are the costs? The interest rate is determined by your financial institution. The interest rate may be variable or fixed: * Variable rate: The maximum chargeable is the lender’s prime lending rate plus 3%. * Fixed rate: The maximum chargeable is the lender’s single family residential mortgage rate plus 3%. A registration fee of 2% of the total amount loaned under the program must also be paid by the borrower to the lender. It can be financed as part of the loan. The registration fee and a portion of the interest are submitted to Industry Canada by the lender to help offset the costs of the program for the government. What are the terms of the financing? Lenders are required to take security in the assets financed. Lenders also have the option to take an additional unsecured personal guarantee, which cannot exceed 25% of the total amount loaned. Small Business Finance Center Another place to go to for financial assistance is the Small Business Finance Centre (http://grantsloans.org). The SBFC offers information on how small businesses can earn grants and loans from the Canadian government. The SBFC is not affiliated with the government. It instead helps small businesses with finding what grants and loans they can deal with. This is so they will have easier times with getting the financial assistance services that they need for their businesses to operate properly. Eddie Twumasi-Smith Bsc (Hons) Chem. Eng, MBA, CGA, CPA
One of the questions we receive all of the time relates to why we need a will. People stammer and start, do not want to discuss it, avoid it and hide the whole thing. There is almost an embarrassment over the thought we might need a will. All of us that love our families have an obligation to take this simple step to ensure their continuity if something should happen to us. The following is a simple overview to assist in understanding this process: What is a Will? Your Will provides instructions on what to do with your estate (all of your possessions and property) after your death. It can also identify specific sentimental property to be left to specific people. This property may not have major cash value, but it will be important to you for the right person to have it. If you do not have a Will when you die, your estate will be distributed according to Ontario law - the Succession Law Reform Act. That does not automatically mean that the government gets all of your estate, but it could happen depending on your situation when you die. It is important that you make a Will for the following reasons: * To prevent your estate from going to the provincial government; * To make sure the people you want to leave specific things to get them; * To avoid leaving your relatives with costly issues after your death; * To allow you to choose people to act as your children’s adoptive parents or guardians. A Will should include: * How your assets are to be divided; * Name the person who will manage your estate (the “Estate Trustee”). This must be someone whom you trust and know will act in your best interests. The Estate Trustee can hire a professional to prepare any official documentation if necessary and the estate pays the fees; * Name a guardian for children under the age of 18, if you have any; * Trust provisions for children under the age of 18, if you have any. Making your Will. Will Kits: It is possible to make your own Will
through use of a “Will kit”. You can find “Will kits” in office supply and book stores. These kits are not recommended as they often overly general and can miss certain fundamental provisions. Even these Will kits recommend, however, that you get professional advice to help you prepare your Will. Professional Advice: A Will is a legal document and the wording is very important. After you die, you will not be around to explain what you meant when someone is interpreting your Will. If you prepare your own Will and it is invalid because it has not been properly prepared, your estate will be treated as if you never made a Will. Your property may then be distributed according to the Succession Law Reform Act. That means that it will cost more for your family to deal with the Will and your property might not be given to the people you want to get it. Getting legal advice to make your Will helps you to consider all likely possibilities in deciding how you want your property given out after your death. If you have children under the age of 18 or you have complex business partnerships, etc. we can assist in determining what property will form part of your estate. As mentioned above, your Will can help you to make sure that people get what you want to give them. We will make sure that your Will is clear. What Does it Cost? You should meet with a lawyers to discuss your estate planning needs. The initial consultation should be free. The lawyer should listen and ascertain the kind of planning that needs to be effected. If a simple will the information to compose same should be garnered. Fees should be agreed to with ranges for complex matters. The price of a Will depends upon the complexity of your estate, but generally as a flat fee the cost for a “simple Will” should be around $250.00. If you have questions feel free to mail, deliver or fax letters to us, use www.schwarzlaw.ca, email info@schwarzlaw.ca or phone (1-888609-8888) and give us your questions, concerns, critiques and quandaries. We will try to deal with them in print or electronic form.
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
32
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Joint End of Year Service - Methodist -Presby-Anglican
Congregation
Joint choir
Joint choir Worship team
From left Rev. Opoku Ware, Rev. Semie-Obiri, Rev. Adu, Rev. Kusi Asare, Rev. Mpereh
Women's Fellowship
Trinity Baptist rings in the New Year
Rev. Nana Amoakohene
Congregation
Congregation
worshiper
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
33
Evangel Assembly of God Church Watch Night Service
Rev. Milton Ofei, Snr. Pastor
Congregation
Congregation
Congregation Congregation
Worship Team
A section of the congregation
Youth Ministry inauguration at Ghanaian Congregation St. John's Anglican Church November 27, 2011
Fr. Opoku Ware and Kwasi Amoah Mensah, Youth President
Rev. Frank Adu of Presbyterian Church
Youth President Kwasi Amoah Mensah Fr. Opoku Ware with Church Leaders and Youth at the inauguration
Cutting the inauguration cake Fr. Opoku Ware with the Youth
34
The Ghanaian News January 2012
Ghanaian-Canadians say adieu to the late Dr. Richard Be By Emmanuel Ayiku and Jonathan Annobil, Ottawa
Funeral and memorial service for the late High Commissioner, H.E. Dr. Richard B. Turkson, who passed away on Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011 was held on Saturday, 14 January, 2012 at the Capital Visitation Centre, 3700 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean, Ontario. The diplomatic corps in Ottawa were there in their numbers to mourn their former colleague. They were led by the Dean of African Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Juliette Y. Bonkoungou of Burkina Faso as well as Ghanaians. The service was from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. including visitation. Reception and celebration of his life (Ghana Style) took place at Tudor Hall, 3750 North Bowesville Road in Ottawa where the chiefs of Toronto and Montreal came in full force to mourn Dr. Turkson. The chiefs added color to the event. Mfantsipim Old Boys Association also paid tribute to him.
Flag wrapped casket of H.E. Richard Turkson
Widow Mrs. Alice Turkson, Dorothy Turkson, daughter, Richard Turkson Jnr, son
Mourners Clergy
Bereaved family
Clergy
Rev. Emmanuel Ohene Gyimah, Ghana Methodist Church, Montreal
Bereaved family
From left guest, Mr. Kotia, Mr. Kodjo Mawutor, Mr. Obeng of Ghana High Commission, Ottawa
H.E. Juliette Y. Bonkoungou, Dean of African Diplomatic Forps with other diplomats Rep. of Anglican Church and Ghana Methodist Toronto
Mourners
Nana Osei Agyemang, right, Nana Duah, Okyeame Dogo
Mourners
Ri
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
35
enjamin Turkson, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada
ichard Turkson Jnr. Ms Dorothy Turkson
Mr. Obeng Koranteng, Acting High Commissioner
Mourners Mourners
Mourners
Mourners From Kwaku Adjei, President of Ghana Union Ottawa, an executive member and Mr. Emmanuel Ayiku of Ghanaian News
Mourners
Choir, Ghana Methodist Church, Toronto Mourners Mourners
From left, Okyeame Dogo, Mr. Kodjo Mawutor and wife, Mr. John Anati
Mourners
Abusuapayin Peter Nonkor and others Clergy
Foster Nuamah, Ag High Commissioner Obeng Koranteng, Kodjo Mawutor, Consul General, Toronto
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
PEOPLE AND PLACES Presby Academy of Music (PAM)
Group picture of students at Presby Academy of Music (PAM) with Music Director Clement Korletey-Sackey. The school was started 2009 to help the children in the Ghanaian community.
Retraction George Sanniez celebrated his 65th birthday
George Sanniez Cutting the birthday cake with the support of wellwishers
In our previous issue of December 2011 page 36 captioned, George Sanniez celebrated his 65th birthday. We mistakenly wrote George Sanniez cutting the birthday cake with the support of wife flanked by well wishers. It should have been cutting the birthday cake with well wishers not with wife and well wishers. We apologise for the inconvenience cause by this report Editor Ghanaian News
All Men's Day Fasting and Prayer Rev. Nicholas Ameyaw, (L) and a at Ghanaian member from the Edmonton Congregation Ghanaian Association and St John's Anglican Ag. High Commissioner Church Koranteng Obeng in Ottawa 2125 Weston Road Nov. 19, 2011
From left Fr. Opoku Ware, Rev. Bonnah, Rev. Amoah, Rev. Adu, Rev. Asare Kusi, Rev. Osei Akoto
Group picture
Ghanaian News is Now Online www.ghanaiannews.ca
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
37
Originals Social Club of Toronto, 2011 Christmas Bash @ Forum Banquet Hall, Etobicoke
Jadalina Akosua Panda Dedicated at Heritage Ghanaian SDA Mary and David dedicated their daughter, Jadalina Akosua Matumona Panda who was born on 25 September, 2011 to the Lord at the Heritage Ghanaian SDA Church in Toronto. The function which took place on 21 January, 2012 was officiated by the Senior Pastor Damson Oppong.
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
WORLD NEWS World Muslim Leader Rwanda deportation a sends message of peace to ‘poster child’ for problems Pope Benedict with Canadian system: gov’t The Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has sent a direct message to Pope Benedict XVI calling for the Pope to use his influence to encourage religious tolerance and the establishment of human values throughout the world. The message was delivered personally by the President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Kababir, Muhammad Sharif Odeh, who met the Pope as part of an official delegation of renowned Israeli religious scholars. In his message, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, spoke of the perilous state of the world. He said: “It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world closely, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As a consequence of so many countries having nuclear weapons, grudges and enmities are increasing and the world sits on the precipice of destruction. I believe it is essential, that we urgently increase our efforts to save the world from this destruction. There is an urgent need for
Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad and Pope Benedict
mankind to recognise its Creator as this is the only guarantor for the survival of humanity.” Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad also said that the world should judge religions on their true teachings, not on the misguided acts of individuals or groups. He said: “If a person does not follow a particular teaching properly whilst claiming to subscribe to it, then it is he who is in error, not the teaching. From cover to cover, the Holy Qur ’an teaches love, affection, peace, reconciliation and the spirit of sacrifice. Hence, if anybody portrays Islam as an extreme and violent religion filled with teachings of bloodshed, then such a portrayal has no link with the real Islam.” Speaking about the role of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community practises only the true Islam and
works purely to please God Almighty. If any Church or other place of worship stands in need of protection, they will find us standing shoulder to shoulder with them. If any message resonates from our mosques it will only be that of Allah is great and that we bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Him and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah.” His Holiness concluded by praying for world peace and urging all other parties to play their respected roles for this all important pursuit. He said: “It is my prayer that we all understand our responsibilities and play our role in establishing peace and love, and for the recognition of our Creator in the world. We ourselves have prayer, and we constantly beseech Allah that may this destruction of the world be avoided. I pray that we are saved from the destruction that awaits us.” Further Information: press@ahmadiyya.org.uk
The Conservative government promised a tougher deportation policy after a man accused of inciting the 1994 Rwanda genocide managed to spend nearly two decades in Canada. The promise came Tuesday while an airplane carrying Leon Mugesera touched down in Kigali, Rwanda, under heavy security and into the glare of a media pack eager to chronicle the long-awaited return. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney expressed regret over how long the process had taken. The minister, holding a news conference thousands of kilometres away from that hectic scene in Kigali, promised imminent legislation to avoid a repeat of the Mugesera saga. “He (Mugesera) is a kind of poster child for what’s wrong with the system but he isn’t the only one,” Kenney told reporters in Montreal. “(War criminals) deserve due process but they do not deserve to abuse the process... Everyone deserves their day in court. Mr. Mugesera had 17 years in court.” The federal government has released, in recent months, controversial watch lists of war-crimes suspects deemed inadmissible to Canada and being sought for deportation. The promise of tougher deportation rules was originally included in the Conservatives’ last election platform. Kenney said the Conservative government would table a bill this year to “streamline” the process for revoking citizenship. He said it would fasttrack deportations and shorten the appeals process for those charged
with serious crimes or with connections to terror or organized crime. The government has also proposed toughening immigration and criminal laws as well as parole rules to allow courts to deport someone who reaches parole eligibility. Also, it plans to amend the International Transfer of Offenders Act so that foreign offenders can more easily be sent abroad without their consent. Kenney said that, for over a decade, Mugesera abused tools available to him to avoid deportation, something that needs to change. “Canada should not be a dumping ground or a safe haven for the world’s evildoers. We are happy that we have finally managed to remove Mr. Mugesera from Canada,” Kenney added in a statement. “We hope that his ilk will never set foot on our soil again. It is unfathomable that it takes nearly two decades to deport an architect of the Rwandan genocide from our country.” Online witness accounts from the Kigali airport said Mugesera was handed over to Rwandan authorities by Canadian counterparts under heavy guard, before being whisked away in a waiting vehicle. Kenney said all necessary steps have been taken to ensure Mugesera won’t be tortured by current Rwandan authorities. Concern that he might face extra-judicial punishment had delayed his expulsion. Mugesera is wanted in Rwanda for allegedly inciting genocide and for committing crimes against humanity. He was a Rwandan political operative who de-
livered a fiery anti-Tutsi speech in 1992, two years before the genocide, referring to them as cockroaches and suggesting they should be exterminated. In Quebec City, Mugesera’s former lawyer Guy Bertrand continued to insist on his exclient’s innocence. He suggested undue political pressure might have prompted the expulsion. Bertrand accused Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a former Tutsi rebel fighter, of wanting to destroy Mugesera because he views him as a political rival and fears that the prominent Hutu academic might re-enter politics. “It’s not the justice system that’s at fault here; it’s the political system,” Bertrand said. “Can we be assured that there wasn’t undue political pressure that Mr. Mugesera be deported from Canada?” Bertrand, who continued to claim Mugesera’s innocence, said his former client won’t get a fair trial in Rwanada and should have been tried in Canada, where he says Mugesera would have been acquitted. That’s something Kenney rejected. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the minister said, the preference is for the accused to face justice in the country of origin or before a competent international tribunal. He said that’s the case for a host of logistical reasons, but also for basic justice. “The people of Rwanda have a right to see this man tried before their own court and brought to justice in their own country,” Kenney said. Canadian Press
Somalia’s al-Shabab attack Ethiopian base in Beledweyne Islamist militants have launched a suicide truck bomb attack on an Ethiopian military base in central Somalia, witnesses say. Al-Shabab says it killed 10 Ethiopian soldiers in the attack in the town of Beledweyne but this has not been confirmed. Ethiopian forces seized Beledweyne from al-Shabab last month. Kenyan troops have also entered Somalia to battle the al-Qaeda linked group which still controls many areas. Beledweyne is a strategic town, 30km (20 miles) from the Ethiopian border on the main road to the capital, Mogadishu, and also on the major artery linking the north and south of the country. “There was a heavy explosion that shook the whole the city,” local security official Mohamed Osman told the AFP news agency. “The suicide bomber was shot by security guards before reaching the gate and he blew up the vehicle. We are still investigat-
ing,” he said. Much of the government building, which Ethiopian troops had taken over, has collapsed, witnesses say. Ethiopia has said it wants to withdraw its forces from Somalia and the African Union has said its troops will replace them, however no date has been set. The AU is supporting government forces in Mogadishu. AlShabab pulled out of the capital in August 2011 but has continued to stage suicide attacks on the city. In what BBC correspondents say is a sign of increasing confidence in the security situation in the city, the UN special envoy to Somalia has moved his office back from neighbouring Kenya to Mogadishu - after an absence of 17 years. “I sincerely hope that the arrival of the UN Political Office will mark the start of renewed hope for the future of Somalia,” Au-
gustine Mahiga said in a statement released after his arrival at the airport. The office will be based in the African Union’s main military camp, next to Mogadishu airport. “We have much to do and we are eager to get straight to work,” Mr Mahiga said, promising the move would “herald the beginning of a new era of co-operation and political engagement as the transitional period draws to a close”. The presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia was hugely controversial in 2006-9, however, analysts say there is less opposition this time, as al-Shabab have lost some support. The Islamist group has banned most international aid agencies from the areas it controls in the midst of the region’s worst drought for 60 years. Tens of thousands of people died, as some areas were declared famine zones.
The Ghanaian News
Nigeria’s police chief Hafiz Ringim ‘forced to retire’ Nigeria’s president has sacked the chief of police, Gen Hafiz Ringim, forcing him to retire early, a statement from the presidency says. It follows a wave of attacks by the Islamist group Boko Haram, the latest in Kano on Friday when 185 people died. The group says it wants to overthrow the Nigerian government and impose Islamic law. President Goodluck Jonathan’s move was aimed at “meeting emerging internal security challenges”, AFP reports. There have been calls for the police chief’s resignation since a man suspected of masterminding Christmas Day bomb attacks on churches escaped from police custody earlier this month. According to the AP news agency, a statement from the presidency said Gen Ringim had been placed on “terminal
leave” pending his planned retirement in the coming months. Mohammed Abubakar has been appointed as his replacement “as a first step towards the comprehensive reorganisation and repositioning of the Nigeria police force to make it more effective and capable of meeting emerging internal security challenges”, AFP news agency quotes the statement as saying. The attack on Kano, which targeted police stations and other official buildings, was the deadliest attack Boko Haram had launched, although it has killed hundreds of people in recent years. Its members have bombed churches, government buildings and police stations - mostly in predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria. BBC News
Nigeria arrests dozens of Boko Haram suspects in Kano Nigerian soldier on patrol near site of Friday’s suicide bombing (24 January) Close to 1,000 people were killed in Boko Haram attacks last year, rights groups say Nigerian forces have arrested 158 suspected members of the Islamist Boko Haram organisation in raids in the northern city of Kano. Boko Haram said it carried out a series of bombings in Kano on Friday in which at least 185 people died. The group says it wants to overthrow the Nigerian government and impose Islamic law. On Tuesday evening, unknown attackers threw explosives at a police station in Kano and opened fire on the building. Eyewitnesses quoted by the AFP news agency said that a gunfight lasting 25 minutes then took place. In the dawn operation, one resident said officers had encircled a house where a Boko Haram suspect was believed to be hiding. The shoot-out lasted several hours. “They began shooting, and he fired back... This was followed by a barrage of gunfire by the security men,” Mohammed Maikubi Bala told AFP news agency.
A man and his wife were killed in the raid carried out by the Nigerian Joint Military Task Force, residents said. Attacks by Boko Haram killed close to 1,000 people last year, according to campaign groups Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. In a statement released on Tuesday, Amnesty said the Nigerian government should do more to tackle the group. “The Nigerian government has repeatedly failed to prevent, investigate, prosecute or punish these acts,” it said. The key suspect in a Christmas Day bombing on a Catholic church - believed to be a member of the Islamist sect Boko Haram - escaped from police custody earlier this month. At least 40 people died in that attack. A top African Union official warned that the radical sect was escalating its activities. “The possibility of this group expanding its activities into the neighbouring countries, deep into the Central African region should not be discarded,” said Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira, in charge of counter terrorism co-operation for the AU.
South Sudan: UN condemns refugee camp air raid The UN has denounced the bombing of a camp housing some 5,000 refugees in South Sudan near the border with Sudan. A boy was injured and 14 other people went missing during the air raid in El Foj in Upper Nile state on Monday, the UN refugee agency said. A Sudan army spokesman told the BBC that Sudanese forces had not carried out any bombing raids in the area. South Sudan split from Sudan last July and since then their relationship has deteriorated. Both countries accuse the other of backing rebels operating in their territories and it is not the first time South Sudan has been bombed - there were attacks in Upper Nile state and Unity state last year.
The UNHCR says a plane dropped several bombs on Monday morning which landed on the transit site for those who have fled the conflict in Blue Nile over the border in Sudan. “Bombing of civilian areas must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Mireille Girard, UNHCR’s representative in South Sudan, said in a statement. The BBC’s James Copnall in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, says the UN did not say who was responsible, but the refugees will almost certainly suspect the Sudanese Armed Forces. Blue Nile is one of three border areas along with South Kordofan and Abyei where fighting has broken out since South Sudan’s independence. cont'd on pg. 59
January 2012
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A Government at the cross-roads Last week, the developments of ”Woyomegate” put the credibility of the NDC government and the President to the severest test yet. This case appears to be a hydra-headed monster, determined to consume this government and this President, while in the process, discrediting many of our public institutions. So far, it has implicated a former Attorney General, the Minister of Finance, the office of the President and the Auditor General. And it is just beginning. No one knows where its tentacles may reach yet. Last week, the Attorney General, the well respected Martin Amidu, released a bombshell. He made a number of very significant claims. First, that there were “gargantuan crimes against the people of Ghana”. Second, that a colleague Minister, perceived him as a threat to the concealment of those crimes and was trying either to coerce him into silence or failing that, to eliminate him. Third, that there was a “partisan rented NDC press group who perceive that I am not performing the duties of my office in their partisan interests.” These are very serious claims from the man who was respected enough to be President Mills’ running mate in the 2000 Presidential elections. The Attorney General pledged that he would not be intimidated and that “I have faith and believe in my Ministerial oath of office as a Minister of state, and my cabinet oath that requires me “to uphold, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the Republic of Ghana as by law established””. It is said that when Mr. Fish comes from the bottom of the big river to announce to the world that Mr. Crocodile is dead, he must be
believed. Therefore, we must take Mr. Amidu at his word. I shall return presently to the Hon. Attorney General and Minister for Justice, but let me acknowledge the reactions to his statement first. Within hours after the Attorney General released his statement, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Deputy Minister of Information, attacked the Attorney General. He said amongst other things that “He (the Attorney General) has opened the Pandora’s box. He has stirred the hornet’s nest.” Which “Pandora’s box” was Mr. Ablakwa referring to? This was followed by calls by some members of the NDC communications team for the Attorney General’s resignation or dismissal. Indeed, some private newspapers reported that the President had met with the Attorney General and asked for his resignation. To compound matters, Dr. Tony Aidoo, the man in charge of Evaluation and Monitoring, stated on City FM on Friday evening that he was not aware of the Attorney General’s statement. While it strains credulity a bit for the generally well-informed and careful Dr. Tony Aidoo to be ignorant of something this important, we must take him at his word. The government’s reaction has been stunning. Here is the government of a party, the NDC whose bedrock principle is accountability.
Furthermore, that same government is led by a President who is a Professor—of law. I had naively expected the President and his government to rally to the defense of the embattled Attorney General, but I was wrong. Predictably, there have been a lot of reactions to Mr. Amidu’s statement. He has been lauded by many in the public, while many in his party—the party of accountability, have attacked him. Let me begin with the Attorney General. While his words are bold and admirable—he needs to act. Indeed, while he is understandably worried about those attacking him, the biggest threat to his reputation and his place in history is not the attacks on him. It is his own inaction. He has sworn an oath to protect our constitution and to uphold our laws. He has admitted that he knows of “gargantuan crimes” against Ghana. He has admitted that people are attacking him because he is opposed to their efforts to cover those crimes. In effect, he has claimed that there is obstruction of justice in connection with these crimes. The question to the Attorney General is this; “Sir, what are you waiting for?” The Attorney General has an obligation to investigate these crimes and to bring the suspected criminals to justice— together with those accomplices both in his government and in the media who are trying to hide evidence and in effect obstruct Justice. He should pursue this till he is prevented from doing so. The only person who can prevent him from pursuing this case to its logical conclusion is the President. Mr. Amidu should pursue the facts of this case till he is fired.
cont'd on pg. 54
Give Us Cooked Food Incalcerated Juveniles cont'd from pg. 22 “The feeding fee for these children is inadequate and we depend more on such donations to run the place so why would we turn round to steal them?”, he asked. He however hinted that government would from next January provide GH¢1,800 per inmate as feeding fee. When asked what his views were on donors bringing cooked food, he said it was not anything new since some organisations sometimes brought cooked food for the inmates. Mr. Cofie mentioned the lack of professional trained officers to handle the juveniles and the unavailability of a monitoring system to check the progress of juveniles after they have served their term as some
of the challenges facing them. The Deputy Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Joanna Mensah, who spoke to the Times on the issue also said it was very difficult to run correctional facilities because of the lack of funds and thus donations from organisations, whether raw food items or cooked ones were much welcomed. She expressed concern that Ghana had only one institutional reformation centre that takes care of delinquent children after they are released from prison. “For the whole country, we have only one shelter for juveniles and this is quite worrying,” she said, and suggested that two more shelters, one in the Western region and the other in the Northern
region, be built to ease the pressure on the existing centre. She mentioned inadequate staff, insufficient transportation and the miserable state of remand homes as the major challenges facing the department. The country director of Plan Ghana, Mr Prem Shukla, said the overall objective of the project is to contribute to the effective running and implementation of mechanisms, systems and laws in the area of protection of children and youth in justice institutions who are in conflict with the law. He said for a successful implementation of the project, the media should play an imperative role in creating public awareness about the situation Ghana’s juvenile justice institutions.
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
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Frankly Speaking Ghana Heading into total Chaos as... Lawlessness and daylight robbery in government reigns By Dr. Michael Baffoe “God help our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong. Bold to defend forever the cause of freedom and of right....And help us to resist oppressors rule with all our will...” The above are extracts from the national anthem of the Land of Our Birth. And I have been singing it over and over again for the past one month as my prayer when I wake up and my prayer before I go to bed. Ghana, our dear nation of origin is in serious trouble. It is heading towards real chaos. It has no leader and it has no direction. And it seems to me that the only answer to the plight of that nation now is a serious divine intervention. And we need it right now!! In early December 2011, news broke in Ghana that President Attah Mills and his government had authorized and paid to a guy called Alfred Agbesi Woyome, who is a top backer and financier of the ruling NDC party, a whooping 58 million Ghana Cedis (40million US dollars) claiming that the government of Ghana had breached a contract that he had entered into with the previous government. Forty Million US dollars??? That is a lot of money, enough to repair the deplorable Accra-Kumasi highway, the only link between the two major cities of the country. That is enough money to renovate all the dilapidated elementary schools in the Greater Accra and Central Regions of the country!!
It turned out that this guy actually had had no contract with the government of Ghana. Yet, the President of Ghana authorised his then Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu to arrange payment of compensation (supposedly a judgement of a court) to this Woyome guy. The Attorney General also authorised the Finance Minister, a supposedly learned guy in economics and finance who quickly doled out the money to this guy from the nation’s Consolidated Fund. However rumours, which have not been confirmed or denied by the government, point to the fact that the Woyome guy in turn paid back about two-thirds of this stolen money back to the NDC party and some government functionaries. Holy Jesus!!! When news of this daylight robbery on the national treasury broke out, the President denied any knowledge of it. At his recent meet the press series the President said ‘’How can I be so criminal-minded, so irresponsible to say give
58million to any person...when I know the plight of our people?” He went further to elaborate that ‘’ I know it is criminal, irresponsible, the height of naivety for a President to call his Minister of Finance and say pay this man this...”. The above statement by President Attah Mills implies that if any payment of such monies has been made by his government, it is criminal and irresponsible. It is therefore safe to conclude that whoever ordered the payment and whoever did the payment i.e. then Attorney General and Minister of “Justice”, Betty Mould Iddrisu, and Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Dufour, committed crimes when they ordered and paid 58m Ghana Cedis of the nation’s money to this Woyome guy. This huge amount of money was paid out of the national Consolidated Fund. Payments out of this national fund can NEVER be effected without approval of the President of the Republic. And we know he did give his approval to this fraudulent payment which throws his statement above into question. Is the president of the Republic lying about this serious national issue? In the confusion that initially surrounded the issue, the President moved Betty MouldIddrisu from the office of Attorney General to the Ministry of Education ostensibly to cover up the issue. The President then asked his new Attorney Gen-
eral and Minister of “Justice”, Mr. Martin Amidu to take measures to recover the “illegal” payments to Woyome. Mr Amidu publicly came out to say that there has been no official contract between this Woyome guy and the government of Ghana. As soon as the Attorney General came out with his statement that there was no official contract between the Woyome guy and the Ghana government to warrant any such payment, the NDC propaganda machine flew into panic mode and overdrive. Sensing that their evil deeds were going to be exposed by their own Attorney General, the NDC big buffoons organized their so-called “foot soldiers” to demand the resignation or firing of the Attorney General for daring to expose the evil deeds of the NDC and government. True to his pattern of government by mob-rule, President Mills fired the Attorney General on Thursday January 19, 2012 for what was termed by the Presidential Spokesperson as “gross misconduct”. The Attorney General then issued a statement which actually exposed the true nature of the crimes being committed by the NDC and government of Ghana on its people. He said among other things that: “I have faith and believe in my Ministerial oath of office as a Minister of State and my cabinet oath that requires me to “uphold, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the
Republic of the Ghana as by law established…” Consequently, I wish to assure the people of Ghana that I still stand by my promise in spite of the fact that hard core criminals in our society today have made it a habit to hold paid membership cards of major political parties in the republic as an unconstitutional insurance against crime and criminal prosecutions. I wish core members and supporters of the NDC who cherish the principles and ideas upon which the party was founded to know that the attacks against me which started in the Daily Post publications of the 3rd January 2012 were planned by a colleague Minister of State, who perceived that my integrity and professionalism as a lawyer was a threat to the concealment of gargantuan crimes against the people of Ghana in which they might be implicated. An alibi was consequently created on 30th December 2012 to unleash the gullible section of the NDC press on me by the leakage of official documents from my ministry through the perverse section of a rented NDC press to the pubic beginning the 3rd of January 2012. That has back fired because the leaked official documents by the Daily Post; the Informer; the National Democrat; the Ghanaian Lens; (all NDC newspapers) etc, have
rather inadvertently supported my honesty and integrity in public office and my call for the prosecution of criminals regardless of their political party colorations or their social status. The ethics of a legal profession and the Bar, of which I am a leader, are more sacred to me than that of young and inexperienced members of a communication team of the NDC who are absolutely ignorant of the functions of an Attorney-General under the Constitution of Ghana. These words coming from the President’s own Attorney General are very serious and speak volumes of the concealment of damaging information by the President and his team in their conspiracy to defraud the nation. The NDC attack machines, including their newspapers, did not stop with the firing of the Attorney General. They went on to demand that three female lawyers at the Attorney General’s Department be removed because they are related or married to “opposition politicians.” This is serious and alarming!! In a statement, the Ghana Bar Association lamented that, “It is rather alarming that the right to serve Mother Ghana as a public or civil servant should be linked to, and affected by either whom one’s father is or who you are married to.” Strange as this sounds, this is Ghana under President Attah Mills and the NDC. This is not the end of the NDC evil machination. On Tuesday January 24, 2012 an NDC group led by the foul-mouthed Deputy Minister of Information Okudzeto Ablakwa undertook a public demonstration and marched to Parliament to strangely demand that the opposition NPP members should rather be dragged to explain their role in the Woyome saga. They ransacked Parliament and the security personnel there did nothing. It is ironic that this Okudzeto Ablakwa has recently won the primaries on the ticket of the NDC to contest the next elections to be a Member or the same Parliament he has led some hoodlums to ransack and desecrate. And in all these the President of the Republic, Prof. John Evans Attah Mills has said nothing and has done nothing. We are left to conclude that he has authorised all these illegal actions. Where is this nation heading to?? We may have to change the words of our national anthem to read: God save our nation Ghana...and help us to expose evil doers that are dragging our nation into hell with all our will and might forever more...”
42
PARENTAL FAVOURITISM; DOES IT EXIST?
The Ghanaian News January 2012
View Point Assisting Teenagers to engage in Goal setting Doris Osei Bonsu, Crisis Counselor, Toronto
By Golda Abena Quayson
It is believed that by the end of every year over ninety percent, 90% of both adults and teens have to set goals for the New Year, but the reality is that very few, maybe only about 10% will seriously complete their targets and goals they set by the end of the year. These are few pointers to help you and your teenage children stay on target for the New Year 2012. Goal setting is a fundamental building block teenagers need to be successful at doing to assist them to realize their dreams in life. Goal setting helps us to define what is important, and guides us to set these priorities. Goals give us a clear starting point, and when completed, can either be a finishing point or the starting point for the next endeavour. The process of goal setting includes learning how to develop a plan, how to measure your progress, how to stay positive and focused, how to overcome roadblocks and the importance of taking action. For teenagers, goal setting is a character education function that helps set their priorities and gives them a path for future success. Goals are an important part of life, and teenagers who learn to plan out and obtain goals contribute to their healthy self-esteem not only when the goal is accomplished, but also along the path to the goal. Here are a few tips in goal setting and the process of achieving them. Goals should be realistic. If a goal is realistic, given time and effort, the teenager stands a reasonably good chance of accomplishing it. Help your teen turn goals into smaller steps or tasks so that he/ she can feel that they are accomplishing something along the way to the goal. Help your teen to create a plan to complete the tasks for their goals by writing them down. Help your teen to keep to the plan, but be flexible as things change and obstacles may come up that you did not plan for to hap-
pen. In the course of the tasks, offer words of praise and encouragement when the goal, or parts of the goal, have been accomplished. Goal setting for teens can be cool as well as challenging if it encompasses ways for them to contribute to the family’s functioning, fosters their growing independence, building their self-esteem and making the right choices for the future. Parents have to know that this has to be done in a nonjudgmental and encouraging manner. This approach allows the teens to be more open to their inner abilities to display and to accept and consider other choices. In other words it serves as positive reinforcers for the teen who is interested in, but as yet unsure of what to do. Therefore committing to goal setting is the start of a process of thinking about possible choices of interest. One of the realities that parents, teachers and other authority figures have to deal with is that teen role models in the media are sometimes, at least in our opinions, less than ideal! We need a perspective shift ere in order to see glimpses of what makes the seemingly outrageous behaviour of teen celebrities so popular amongst their fans. Without necessarily condoning their lifestyles and actions, it can be helpful to take an interest in what your teen is impressed with in his or her heroes. Because there are some aspects of what these celebrities have or believe in, that teens also want for themselves. This can lead to some interesting and informal conversations about the possible values, aspirations and talents your teen believes are driving their own behaviour and expectations. Be open to moments like this where your teen can share what it is that they like or admire in their various role models. Teens respond particularly well to opportunities for volunteer work and other socially responsible activities. This desire to make a worthwhile contribution is connected with their own awareness of personal identity and, as with many adults, can become the source of worthwhile goals that make a positive difference for them in the world. Encourage them, by personal examples where possible, to look for opportunities to get involved
in helping others less fortunate than themselves: the experience can teach so much about the social value of goal setting without you even needing to mention the term. A growing desire for independence is another area where goal setting is a skill that surfaces naturally. While financial realities might determine whether or not older teens move into a place of their own or with friends, a review of the possibilities can be very instructive in that the teen learns to see that the gap between the goal and the reality, while large, can be bridged. This be done by parents having the desire, commitment and focus on making it happen over time. Patience is one of the unsung attributes of successful goal setting, probably because we are collectively so impatient. In younger teens this goal setting skill can be nurtured when opportunities arise to plan sleepovers or to go on a short trip with a friend’s family, or in sports or animal welfare, or even choosing courses at university or college. There are endless opportunities and a lot of activities to explore. Goal setting will help your teenagers recognize their abilities. Goal setting will give your teenager a sense of the bigger picture. It will help them set priorities. It will help them. It will also give them a sense of ownership, as well as building their selfimage. It can help them turn their dreams into reality. In all these processes, you should understand, as a parent, that you are role modelling in a supportive and enthusing manner, and that can lead teens to naturally conclude that goal setting works! Underpinning teen’s acceptance of setting goals as a worthwhile endeavour is a sense of self-satisfaction. They have opportunities to discover that sometimes life can be better and sometimes they can directly make that happen by getting the push with lots of love, patience as well as hard working. For a young person struggling with finding their place in the world these mini successes can do wonders for their self-esteem. Applaud them! And put words into action. Have a Blessed Happy New Year.
Rebuilding Broken Trust in a Relationship: What does it take?
The loss of trust is a very painful experience. It often involves a lot of hurt, anger, confusion and sadness. Sometimes it is with couples where one partner has had an affair or been dishonest. Other times it is between parents and children; with teens where the teen has stolen, lied or has been doing drugs and sometimes even don’t attend school without the knowledge of the parents. The question is “how long does it take to rebuild the trust when it is broken?” What does it mean to “trust?” Trust refers to being able to rely on, depend or have confidence in someone or something. It is not simply a statement of intention given at some place or time. It is certainly more than a promise. Between people real trust is an outcome of observed behaviour over time where one’s commitments are constantly met. Trust, I believe, needs to be combined with willingness to forgive. The question of how long it takes to rebuild broken trust can vary greatly. Rebuilding a broken trust depends either on the severity of the non-trust-worthy behaviour or the frequency of the nontrust worthy events. A low frequency, high intensity event such as an affair can undermine trust so significantly that the rebuilding process can take years. Other events like child stealing money from your wallet on an intermittent basis may also take time to repair, not because of the intensity of the event but due to the ongoing and intermittent nature of the event. Single, low intensity events generally take the shortest time to repair. As parents, spouses and above all, as human beings we should know that the key to rebuilding trust is understanding that trust takes more than just one time apology. Dealing with emotions of the loss of trust is critical when trying to rebuild trust. The following are specific steps to take when rebuilding a broken trust. Rebuilding Trust Requires Understanding How the Person who is Hurt Feels. When we are upset, we want the person who has hurt us to understand our point of view; to understand our feelings and emotions. Having them to understand how we feel is important. If the person does not take time to make us understand we try to get even by making them feel as bad as we do. This may sound childish, but when someone does not understand our pain we try to make them feel our pain. We basically have to agree that the other person’s feelings are legitimate and fair, may it be your spouse or child. If you can do this, then trust is going to be easier to regain. They are more likely to calm down, forgive, and listen to your side of the story when they feel understood. Rebuilding Trust Requires Giving Effective Apology
When trying to rebuild trust; it helps to give the right type of apology at the right time. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to apologize or say “I am sorry” effectively. Typically, people make mistakes to apologize too quickly. It looks like you are saying “I am sorry” to appease the person you have hurt. It is not done after giving it a thought and so meaning is not attached to it. Through survey and research, I have come to know that apologies work best when given after some thought and consideration, especially after you have made the person feel understood. Giving the right type of apology is also important. Often people apologize and immediately offer excuse, for example “ I am sorry BUT I was hungry or …….”) trying to excuse or offer explanation to an apology tend to take away its impact. The best way to apologize is to say “I am sorry for the harm done” and leave it. “Saying sorry” the right way and at the right moment is important because it leads to more forgiveness and less punishment, greater trust and good will. Promises must be kept when trying to rebuild trust Breaking a promise while trying to rebuild trust can bring back all the old feeling of betrayal, anger and disappointment. This can even do more harm than the original issue. Breaking a promise at this time shows that even when on your best behaviour you cannot keep your word hence, cannot be trusted. If you break a promise, the whole process has to start again and it will take a lot more time to fix. During this time it is best to under-promise and over-deliver. If you are the person who has been caught lying, trying to get your spouse or child to trust you again will always take longer than you think it should. If you are not the person who has been hurt, you tend to focus all the energy and effort in making things right. By working hard to make things right, it seems you should be making more progress more quickly. But it doesn’t work that way. It will always take longer than you think, which can be very frustrating. Do not give up out of frustration, but try to understand where your spouse or the other person is coming from. In short, rebuilding trust can be frustrating for both parties because both do not move through the process at the same time. Trust is easy to lose and hard to gain. Rebuilding trust requires a lot of understanding and commitments from both sides. A lack of trust leads to more suspicion and harmful discoveries only putting our relationships with our spouses and children in even greater danger. As such, it helps to rebuild trust before relationships get to the point of no returnwhen feelings of anger and betrayal are too deep to repair
The Ghanaian News
January 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.
Erectile dysfunction herbs: A natural treatment for ED? In a previous article I have discussed the causes of Erctile Dysfunction and potential treatments. In thi article I will like to draw our readers attention to some potential pitfalls that they should be aware of. A number of erectile dysfunction herbs claim to help erectile dysfunction. Find out the facts before trying one. Erectile dysfunction — difficulty maintaining an erection sufficient for sex — is a common problem. You’ve likely seen advertisements on the Internet or in magazines for erectile dysfunction herbs or
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supplements, and you may wonder whether they might work for you. Erectile dysfunction herbs and other natural rem-
edies have been used in Chinese, African and other traditional medicines for many years. But finding out whether erectile dysfunction herbs or supplements work, and if they’re safe, can be tricky. Unlike prescription medications for erectile dysfunction such as sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis), most erectile dysfunction herbs and supplements haven’t been well studied or tested. Some can cause side effects or interact with other medications.
ER patients often misunderstand doctors’ discharge instructions, Canadian researchers anconclude accurately measured and
Emergency-medicine experts are sounding an alarm that people who visit hospital ERs often go home without understanding the medical instructions doctors give them. In an article in the January issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine, which reviewed more than 50 previous studies, researchers recommended that doctors provide instructions verbally, in writing and include visual demonstrations when possible, The Canadian Press reported. “It doesn’t happen as systematically as I would want it to,” said co-author Dr. Stephen Porter of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. “One of the big lessons for a lot of institutions is that simply giving written instructions, especially if it’s not at a reading level that is appropriate for a given patient, doesn’t really help. “Because there’s not going to be much on that piece of paper that’s going to be a real reference for people if they either don’t understand what’s
written or if they don’t have somebody else who can work with the document and understand what the plan is.”
The researchers’ review cited an example from pediatric medicine, where drugs often come in liquid form. Many parents can’t figure out the correct dose without help but doctors don’t necessarily show them exactly what dose is required. Physicians give the dose in milligrams, said Porter, but once home, parents have to translate that dose into the volume marking on the syringe. One of the studies the authors reviewed found 21 per cent of elderly patients did not understand their diagnosis when discharged from the ER. Another study done in a pediatric ER found that while most instructions given at discharge required college-level reading skills, almost half the parents of children being treated had a high school education or less. Only 30 per cent of parents were able to demonstrate both
correct dose of acetaminophen, another study found. Porter said the message parents should take from the review is that they should not be afraid to ask questions “and ask for people to show them.” “Discharge communication is an opportunity to recap the visit, teach patients and families how to safely care for themselves or their loved ones at home, and address any remaining questions,” Porter said on the web site Medicalxpress.com. “Failure to understand important elements of care can result in medical error at home and safety risks, including incorrect medication use, inappropriate home care and failure to follow-up on concerning symptoms.” Misunderstanding discharge instructions also increases the likelihood of patients revisiting busy emergency rooms, Porter added. “It’s a two-way conversation that has often been overlooked.”Daily Brew
African viewpoint: Leaping into 2012 cont'd from pg. 21
Zuma and his one-time protege, Julius Malema. In July our newest nation, South Sudan will celebrate its first anniversary of nationhood and the African Union will be 10 years old without a certain Brother Gaddafi, who was instrumental in its formation, available to lead the celebrations. Some things though never change on our continent and so we can be sure Somalia will continue to be in the news for all the wrong reasons in spite of the best efforts of the AU Special Representative, Ghana’s former President Jerry Rawlings.
The Democratic Republic of Congo will continue to be in turmoil, the majority of its citizens will continue to suffer and outsiders will continue to prosper from its riches. Who is Charles Taylor? The area of the biggest growth on the continent will continue to be in religious congregations and fake prophets. In literature, Nigeria will continue to reign on the continent and their writers will continue to entertain and amaze. A young journalist will ask me who Charles Taylor is when the International Criminal Court in The Hague finally
hands down a verdict in his trial. Laurent Gbagbo, former president of Ivory Coast, will rediscover his voice as he takes the stand to thrill the court with his elocution. My one hope is that the economy grows at a faster rate all over Africa. I deserve to see a prosperous Africa in my lifetime and it is now getting perilously close to my going without seeing that day. If you would like to comment on Elizabeth Ohene’s latest column, please do so below.
Here’s what’s known about some of these erectile dysfunction remedies. Herbal remedy or supplement Does it work? Dangers and possible side effects DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a building block for sex hormones. It may help some men if they have low testosterone (hypogonadism). DHEA can interfere with your natural balance of sex hormones. It can cause acne and may lower “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Epimedium (horny goat weed) This traditional Chinese medicine may help erectile dysfunction. There’s little evidence about the safety or side effects of epimedium. It may cause blood thinning and lower blood pressure. Folic acid and vitamin E
In some men taking sildenafil (Viagra), these vitamins seemed to help with erectile dysfunction. But more studies are needed to determine whether there’s a clear benefit. Except in high doses, there’s little risk of side effects from these vitamins. Ginkgo Ginkgo may help erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to the penis. It may also help ease sexual side effects caused by antidepressants. Ginkgo may increase your risk of bleeding. This could be dangerous if you’re going to have surgery or you take a bloodthinning medication. Ginseng Asian (Panax) ginseng has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for a number of conditions. A few studies show that ginseng may help with erectile dysfunction.
This herb is generally considered safe. However, it may lower blood sugar levels, so use caution when taking ginseng if you have diabetes. In rare cases, ginseng has been linked to mania when taken with certain antidepressants. Yohimbe Yohimbe is derived from the bark of the African yohimbe tree. A prescription form (yohimbine) may help with erectile dysfunction — especially if it’s due to psychological causes. The prescription form of this herb has been linked to a number of side effects, including increased blood pressure, fast or irregular heartbeat and anxiety. Zinc Zinc may improve erectile function in men who have a zinc deficiency. Don’t take zinc in high doses. Too much zinc can harm your immune system and cause other health problems.
44
The Ghanaian News January 2012
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REJOINDER
dlingoffarmproducts.Notableamong themwerestoragefacilitiesinSunyani, WenchiandEjura. FormerPresidentKufouralsoshowed a commitment to fishers by creating a ministrytooverseetheaffairsoffishermen. First ever in our political history. Infrastructure was improved and support was given to small scale fishermen. Onethousandthreehundredandthirty one(1331)brandnewtractorswereimported,400multi-purposethreshers,30 mechanicalandsolardryers,20oilpalm and sheabutter processing machines and 30 fruit and vegetable processing machines were distributed across the country.Inadditiontothat,1600pieces vari-mini laver capacity tractors and 326 power tillers were distributed throughout the country. I am therefore surprised that Dr. MichaelBaffoerefutesthattheKufours government agriculture policies led to a “reduction in poverty rate from 51.7 percentin1991to26.5percentin2008 andhungerreducedfrom34percentin 1990 to 9 per cent in 2004. Dr. Baffoe intimated that the government headed by President Kufour did not create jobs. It’s rather sad that he failed to follow the employment trend in the country. The national Youth Employment Exercise reduced youth unemploymenttoalevelneverseenin thehistoryofourcountryinalongtime. Thenumberofpeopleemployedbythe
45
Year 2011 in Review
cont'd from pg. 20
Former President Kufour honoured with food prize Does he really deserve it? I read with mixed feelings the article withtheaboveheadlinewrittenbyone Dr.MichaelBaffoeofWinnipeg,which appeared in the June Edition of the GhanaianNewspapermeanttotarnish the hard won reputation of the former President. As if that was not enough, the columnist casted doubts about the integrity of the World Food Prize Foundation, theU.SStateDepartment,theU.Ssecretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Tom Vilsack, the administrator of the USAID program, Rajiv Shraj and the formerPresidentofBrazil,Mr.Lulada Silva. It’s rather sad that at a time when journalism is being used as a tool to check all arms of government to accelerate national development in all sectors of theeconomy,peoplelikeDr.Baffoewill use that medium for character assassination purposely to achieve cheap popularity for their own selfish political agenda. What a shame to national development. The citation that accompanied the announcementoftheawardsaid”Under PresidentKufour’sleadership,Ghana became the first sub-SaharanAfrican country to cut in half the proportion of its people who suffer from hunger and the proportion of the people living on less than a dollar per day, on course to meet the U.N Millennium Development goal ” . Now let me educate Dr. Baffoe about Agriculture under former President Kuffour.Thesectorwitnessedagrowth ratefrom2.1percentintheyear2000to 4.4 per cent in 2002 and by 2006 it had recordedamassive6.5percentgrowth. Themassivefoodproductionrendered Ghana a non food crisis country. Cocoa production doubled from an averageoflessthan350,000metrictons in the Rawlings era to a peak of over 750,000 metric tons in 2006/ 2007 for the same land area under cultivation. The mass cocoa spraying exercise which employed several thousands of youthacrossthecountryhelpeddouble theaverageyieldperacreofcocoa.The result boosted the remunerations of cocoafarmerstoalevelneverwitnessed in the history of the country since the 1950s.The price paid to farmers for a 64kg of cocoa at the end of year 2000 season was GH 21.7. The price by the year 2008 season shot up to GH 102 The Rawlings government paid bonuses due farmers in 1992 and 1996 whilsttheKufourgovernmentpaidsix bonuses in 7 years. The NPP government came up with a policywhichreducedfertilizersbyhalf culminatinginfarmersapplyingmore fertilizers to yield food production. Apart from credit facilities given to farmers,thegovernmentgavefarminputstofarmerstogrowmaize,riceand sorghum. TheKufourgovernmentembarkedon the rehabilitation of irrigation dams aimed at ensuring planting of two seasoncropsinmanyfarmingcommunities. Dr. Baffoe would help himself if he visits irrigation dams inAveyime, Afife, Sata, Mankesim, Tasono, Akumadan, Subinja, Bontanga, and Weija.Tofurthereducatehim,thetotal cropped area for the above mentioned irrigation facilities increased productionof922hectaresto2,326.Thegovernment also imported 23 drilling rigs tosupportgroundwaterabstractionfor irrigationinsevenregions.800portable pumping machines were provided to farmers in 3 northern regions to facilitate irrigation during the dry season. For the first time in the history of our country, a committed government rehabilitatedbrokendownstoragefacilities to help cater for post harvest han-
January 2012
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environmental agency Zoom Lion alone was uncountable. The massive cocoasprayingexerciseemployedseveral people that it helped curb the rural urban- drift. TofurthereducateDr.Baffoe,theWorld FoodPriceFoundationawardforPresidentKufourwasforhiscontributionin theagriculturesectorasameansoffightinghungertherebyreducingpoverty.It was not for his contribution in the national economic prospects or the employmentsector. Dr.Baffoeshouldlearnthisquotefrom former President Rawlings “embrace themanyouhateifyoumaynotbejustifiedinknockinghimdown”.Youwill do yourself a lot of good by writing to educate and transform our society and inspiretheyouthtowardanaccelerated nationaldevelopmentpurposesinstead of attacking personalities aimed at achieving results from cheap propaganda for your own selfish political interest. The current government has done its best by congratulating President KufourandlurgeDr.Bafoetolearnfrom that to enable this award ‘inspire all politicalleadersinGhanatodeepenour resolve to the vigorous improvement of the living conditions of our people whichmustbeouronlyessenceinpolitics’. BY CHRISTOPHER ANUM, AHEMFORADIO, MONTREAL-QUEBEC anumchris@yahoo.com
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Rot at ECG: The big names behind the staggering debt cont'd from pg. 12 money can do for places like Bimbilla, Bole and Chorkor? Everpure Water, producers of bottled mineral water had yet to settle the ECG to the tune of some GH¢ 15,111. 48; same was the case with the Bulk Oil Supply GH¢75,686. 11. There are several other companies whose names and debts as a November 2011, would be publish in subsequent publications. The Battor Catholic Church GH¢ 111,015,00 and another spiritual and Winners Chapel followed suit with GH¢ 13,293. 67 ACADEMIC DEFAULTERS It’s quite interesting that public universities for all the monies that they charge students in lieu of facility user fees; which has electricity bills incorporated into them, owed the ECG big time. Perhaps in living up to their ‘Premier University’ tag, Legon scored first class and wore the academic debtors gown with an outstanding debt of GH¢ 4,388,500. 63. University of Science and Technology, try as they did, lagged behind the frontrunner with a second class upper of GH¢ 2,981,228. 93. Then came the University of Cape Coast who were too busy learning and forgot to settle GH¢ 1,871,566. 40. Accra Polytechnic showed why the HND certificate was worthy on the job market. GH¢ 1,116,958. 78 was certainly a strong showing. The school stationed on Greenhill, near Legon, a. k. a. the Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Administration (GIMPA) were indebted in two accounts adding up to GH¢ 146,707. 44. The Tarkwa School of Mines, dug deep down the earth and came up with two accounts which totaled GH¢ 339,646. 10p. The University of Education, Winneba also owed ECG some GH¢ 240,776. 42. The remaining institutions were; Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) - GH¢ 231,032. 01p, Presbyterian Boys Senior High School - GH¢ 165,976. 26, Kumasi Technical Institute GH¢ 102,044. 06. The Pentecost University College for all the fees they charged students still had power debt to settle (GH¢ 46,533. 37), SOS College owed GH¢ 27,929. 36 INDUSTRIAL DEFAULTERS Relative to the industrial defaulters; majority of who were stationed in Tema and the Western region, we collated as many as 91 entities some with having as many as five accounts who owed the ECG, the gross sum of GH¢ 21,388,686. 52. We would definitely be dropping names in due course. STATE INSTITUTION DEFAULTERS That State Institutions who were in debt relative to power used, came as a bit of a jolt especially so against the news item sometime last year, when the vice president, John Dramani Mahama, advised all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to change from post-paid to pre-paid meters. The veep’s position was met with different reactions and we are left wondering as at today what has become of it. The defaulters among MDAs are so many and juicy a register that we would bring the top 10 entities owing in power debts then take the lid off as many of them as we can later on. Top 10 State defaulters: Kpong Water Works GH¢ 12,749,926. 53 37 Military
Hospital GH¢ 1,456,538. 40 GWCL Rooster Station GH¢ 1,407,983. 56 Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital GH¢ 1,316,365. 31 Tema Oil Refinery GH¢ 1,192,367. 00 Office of the President GH¢ 675,805. 55 State House, Parliament GH¢ 635,781. 31 Ghana Water GH¢ 617,105. 51 Ghana Manganese Company GH¢ 553,929. 48 Police Headquarters GH¢ 393,736. 65 So just 10 defaulting State Institutions out of hundred others owed their fellow ECG An unbelievable sum of GH¢ 20,999,539. 30 equivalent to US$ 14,000,000. The list of Ministries owing huge amounts with their ever heaping power debts, were as follows: Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning GH¢ 524,924. 67 Ministry of Works and Housing GH¢ 70,839. 59 Ministry of Trade and Industry GH¢ 116,610. 58 Ministry of Defense GH¢ 8,814,284. 28 Ministry of Education GH¢ 214,685. 33 Ministry of Transport GH¢ 112,666. 88 We shall release the list for other Ministries in due course. We are aware of the clearing house module through which some state institutions pay their power debts. The question however is; for a country that is demanding much from ECG, on which grounds could their monies be held and for how long? Other interesting defaulters on a regional basis were: In Accra East, Pantang Hospital owed, flanked by the Ghana Standards Board, the National Identification Authority, the Forestry Commission, Ghana Trade Fair Company, and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority. In came the Elwak Military Barracks, the National Theatre and National Institute of Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) who refused to be left out. Guess our last three candidates; VAT Service, Police Hospital and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department. ACCRA WEST: Here, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) wore the crown as lead defaulters with multiple accounts that added up to; GH¢ 657,225. 61p. SSNIT House, Trust Tower, Ridge Tower, Office Shopping and their Archives Department were all in the soup. Making an appearance in Accra West were; the Cocoa Marketing Board, State Publishing and State Insurance Corporation. Showing their solidarity was the Ghana Rubber Company and the Environmental Protection Agency. TEMA Here the very tall list included Juapong Textiles, Regional Maritime and PSC Tema Shipyard amongst several others who made the cut as did the Tema Municipal Assembly. WESTERN REGION State Institution defaulters included the likes of the Ghana Bauxite Company and the Ghana Railway Corporation. Others included the Air force Senior Mess, the Ghana Manganese Company, the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited; twin accounts of the Ghana Water Company and of course the Sekondi Fishing Harbour. The case of KUMASI WEST saw half of their four candidates place in the top 10 State Institution defaulters; GWCL Rooster Station and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Ghana Cocoa Board and Kumasi
Abbatoir rounded up the roll call. What is irritating is the deliberate misuse of power by most officials of these institutions. Workers do not put off their air conditioners; shops around such government institutions tap power for free etc. Indeed, some private businesses and individuals tap power from MDAs, ALL at the expense of the tax payer. THE PATRIOTIC ENTITIES Although those who owed were in their thousands, the list of loyal partners of the ECG could not escape us during our analysis on entry into the nationwide ECG SLT system. Nestle Ghana Limited, extended their Good Food, Good Life Policy to the ECG by paying their electricity bills whilst Ghacem Gh. Ltd, the nation builder made sure they were indeed building the nation by paying their electricity bills. Ghana International School (GIS), showed that they understand the inner working of not only their students, but also the ECG. They pay their bills and on time as well. Intravenous Infusions Ltd, are not only producing pharmaceutical products to better the health of Ghanaians, but also paying their ECG bills to help in the development of the nation. Big Brother; Daily Graphic are indeed ahead of the pack, their ECG bills are paid on time. Praise must be given where it is due, whereas Novotel Kumasi owes the ECG a huge amount of money, Novotel Accra has been good to the state by paying all their bills. Guinness Ghana Ltd. shows it has indeed got the power to pipe their rich dark Guinness by paying their ECG bills. The leading brewery in Ghana, Accra Brewery, exhibited their clear leadership by making sure they do not owe the ECG a penny. Fanmilk is not only so nice, nice nice in taste, it is also so nice to the ECG. It has settled its bills. The Cocoa Research Institute had also paid up. Palm Development Company Ltd also proved that they are not only concerned about the development of palm, but also of the ECG. ‘Your business is our business’ says the National Investment Bank and they are true to this. The business of ECG is theirs, so they have paid up. The Cape Coasters, Ameen Sangari Ltd, realizes that the power they use for their production activity is not free, so they settle their ECG bills on time. Perhaps, other Public Institutions can take a leaf from the page of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), who have fulfilled their duty to their fellow state institution, ECG, by paying all their bills. To these entities and others who pay their bills on time to help the ECG to march onto greater heights, we say AYEKOO! !! WE CALL ON THOSE WHO HAVE BILLING ERRORSTO GO TO THE ECG HEADQUARTERS TO RECTIFY THOSE ERRORS SINCE THEY STILL EXIST ON THE DATABASE AS DEFAULTERS. Re-Entry into ECG System – Tema in Focus Considering that Tema recorded the highest number of defaulters by our defaulters analysis, TIGER EYE, five
months down the line (June 2011), reentered the ECG system to ascertain whether these companies were making any efforts to lessen their debts. We realized to our dismay that most companies sat by as their debts kept rising, this was the case even when Government was giving them some subsidies on their power consumption. Entities we tracked on our reentry were predominantly Steel, petroleum and the Manufacturing companies. So even in the light of subsidized power, companies still defaulted and ECG still sat by as more of the people’s power kept going waste. CLOSED/FINALIZED ACCOUNTS A closed account is a technical terminology that denotes meters that are supposed to be taken out of the ECG system as a result of heaped debts that remains unpaid by the particular entity. The ECG is then expected to take legal action against those companies as a last resort to recouping the used but unpaid power debts. But more often than not we realized that most of such meters supposedly off the ECG system were still active and entities and individuals were still using such meters without paying a dime to the state.
counts. We found hundreds of accounts owed the ECG varying sums in closed accounts; meaning the particular entity or individual was no longer using the meter but had also not paid off the debt that was tied to the meters at the time they decided to stop the usage. The breakdown of trapped ECG funds in closed accounts was very worrying and a grave cause for concern. Companies in this country owe the ECG such huge sums of money and the ECG always trumpets how obsolete their equipments are and why they need tariff adjustment after the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC’s) quarterly review. Clearly the lack of legal pursuance of adamant defaulters leaves a lethal impact on the national coffers, we ask; can any nation develop along such arbitrary lines? Your guess is as good as ours. Why should this be the case; what is the ECG legal team doing in this regard; for how long shall this persist? There are several other entities who may not have been mentioned, that does not in
any way mean that they do not owe. Individuals also owe the ECG and we would stop at nothing to put their names out. Since the story broke, we are aware of all those companies who have hurried to the ECG to settle their bills. It is an exercise in giving back the ECG its due and then we can also demand of them quality service, efficiency and value for all the monies that we pay to them as bills. God Bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong. In Phase 3 of the President’s Assignment, we walk you through state and private individuals who have decided to help the ECG in its operations when it came to the supply of power. The ‘Agbogloshie Private ECG Grid’, the ‘Prampram Self Electrification Master’, the infamous ‘Takoradi Air Force Base Military Power Distribution Lord’s, the ‘Accra Mall dollar rate chargers’ and the 1. 6 million debt collection saga amongst other issues, will be uncovered. STAY TUNED! !!
Ghanaian News online
Closed accounts have on their own also contributed a significant chunk of revenue loss on the part of ECG; there are institutions across board (i. e. all five regions under the purview of our investigations) who still had sums to settle in closed ac-
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Community in Pictures Ottawa
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
All Nations Full Gospel Church welcomes the Year 2012
Pastor Donkor and Worship Team
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Congregation
Congregation
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Congregation
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Congregation
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January 2012
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The Apostolic Church International New Year Service
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Congregation A section of the congregation
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A Government at the cross-roads cont'd from pg. 39 President Mills was admired as a law Professor. His former students uniformly laud him as a great teacher. He has passionate defenders as a man of integrity. As Kwesi Pratt puts it, “I can vouch for President Mills’ personal integrity any time.” Former President Rawlings has expressed similar sentiments in the past. In a certain sense, this issue was tailor-made for this President. As a law Professor, the President is presumably committed to the rule of law. As President, he is obviously required to uphold the law. And it seems that in persuading the reluctant Mr. Amidu to assume the Attorney Generalship, he made a good decision. So where does the President stand on this issue? Was Mr. Ablakwa speaking for the President when he attacked the Attorney General? Where is the President when his Attorney General is under siege from those who want to obstruct justice? Is he on the side of the criminals who want his Attorney General out of the way, or on the side of the Attorney General who is seeking Justice? To be fair to the President, there is no information yet on whether the Attorney General communicated his concerns to him before releasing his public statement. However, whether he did or not, the important question is what the President is going to do, now that he knows about the plight of his Attorney General. While I, as a layperson, hesitate in offering advice to the President, it appears that his responsibilities in this issue are clear. He must give his Attorney General all the needed support to get to the bottom of this issue. And if for any reason his Attorney General is unable to get to the bottom of this issue, the President himself must ensure that there is a full accounting for what has happened in this issue. Anything below that will give Ghanaians the unfortunate impression that the President may be on the side of those breaking the law. Candidly, it seems that “Wayomigate” has become a cancer on this government that must be removed. Without its removal, this government cannot survive. Ghanaians will not accept that the government that took people to court for Ghana@50 and other things finds nothing wrong with these “gargantuan crimes” against Ghana. While we are waiting for the President, where does the NDC stand on this issue? Is the supposed party of accountability going to let Mr. Amidu be pushed out of office for pursuing accountability? During the 1972 US Presidential election campaign, some people from the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) broke into the Headquarters of the Democratic Party at the Watergate building in Washington. When the extent of President Nixon’s involvement became known, his party, the Republican Party helped to force him out of office -because they were American patriots. This crisis will show whether the NDC will uphold principle and country regardless of who is involved. Let the NDC come out clearly and tell the world whether they are for accountability or for those trying to silence Mr. Amidu. It is gratifying that NPP Chairman Jake Obetsebi Lamptey has called upon the government to investigate the Attorney General’s claims. His should not be the only voice. This is the time for other political parties, media, NGOs, traditional rulers and the clergy to be heard clearly on the side of right versus wrong. Over the next week, let us hear clearly from the “Daily Graphic”, “The Chronicle”, ”Daily Guide“ and “Crusading Guide”, to mention just a few. Let the voice of the Christian Council ring out on the side of righteousness. And let us organize a joint march, by all political parties in support of accountability in this case. And if all that does not work— let the political parties band together and ask CHRAJ to investigate the Attorney General’s claims. Finally, we all lament the lack of integrity, courage and principle in our public officials. This is a chance to show whether our governance process has these qualities. Our response will send a clear message to all current and future public officials as to whether they can count on us if they stand up for what is right. Let us not fail Mr. Amidu, accountability and all those who are watching and listening. Let us move forward—together. Arthur Kobina Kennedy, MD Cape Coast University —Cape Coast
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
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Get Diploma In
Lawyer Assisted
Tel: 905-497-7418 Cell: 416-939-1515
Specializing in: video coverage: Weddings, Outdooring, General Events, Birthday parties, Broadcasting Videos,
Learn & Earn
SPECIAL EVENT VIDEO COVERAGE FOR ALL OCCASIONS QUALITY D.V VIDEO COVERAGE BIRTHDAYS, WEDDINGS, FUNERALS, OUTDOORINGS, ANNIVERSARIES PARTIES ETC.
ONE STEP AHEAD IN QUALITY TWO STEPS BEHIND IN PRICE CALL : ACTION NAVIGATOR
(JOE) 416-616-6070 3 Knightbridge, Brampton, Ont., L6T 3X3
One Love Entertainment Brings Your The Best Music In the 21st Century
DJ Services At: * Weddings * Engagements * Outdoorings * Funerals * Birthdays .. etc. Prince Adom 416-665-8772 / 647-261-7813 princadom@yahoo.com
Ghanaian News is Now Online www.ghanaiannews.ca
Need A Clearing Agent? in Ghana, Takoradi CHEAP, AFFORDABLE, TRUSTED Contact: Jacob Siisi Wilson,
Sal Freight Ltd., P.O. Box EF 62, Takoradi, Ghana Tel: 0208135034, 0242334339, 0272210343 For further info call Danny "Aluta" 647-818-2270 africanchildinc@hotmail.com
Check Us online @ www.ghanaiannews.ca 416-916-3700
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
Gloryland Shipping Enterprise Inc. Seko Shipping & Freight Forwarding Inc. Commercial & Personal
Express Shipping Service to GHANA * Honest & Dependable * Low Rates * Customes Clearances *Pick-up & Delivery * Clear customs! Guaranteed delivery! We do all the work for you! For Easy, Reliable FAST Service Call Atuahene Tel: 416-398-0881 Fax: 416-398-0887 Cell: 416-725-3971
Bailing Of Used Clothes * Wholesale Food Distribution * Yam * Gari * Rice * Accra Kenkey * Canned Food * Dry Fish * Koobi and Many More We ship Cars, Trucks, Electrical Appliances, Computers, Clothing, Barrels, Personal Effects and many more Call Nana Djan
Tel: 647-895-1315, 416-913-1986, E-mail: anacas2008@hotmail.com
52 Carrier Drive, #8 (Hwy 27 & Carrier)
4480 Chesswood Drive, #7, Toronto, Ont., M3J 2B9
Hi-Tech Shipping
BLA CK ST AR F AST BLACK STAR FAST SHIPPING INC INC..
Freight Forwarders & Consolidators
Freight Forwarding
69 Millwick Drive, Unit 2, Toronto, Ont. M9L 1Y5 We ship to all African Countries. We are the cheapest, Fastest and most reliable agents in town. We have been in successful business for twenty years. We also have certified containers for sale: 40' H.C. from $2600 * 20' Container from $2000.00
Call Kobby or Nana Ababio
Tel: 416-744-2300 / 416-640-2310
Tawiah
The Most Reliable Way to Ship Overseas! Fast, Reasonable and VERY Great Competitive Rates! We Ship Trucks to Cars, Personal Items, Building materials, Used Clothes and Electronics. Also Deep Freezers and other.
Linda
Tel: 647-231-4504 or 416-988-1842
415 Oakdale Road., #385, Toronto, Ontario
Shipping To Ghana Abidjan & Cotonou & West Africa Cars, Furniture, Containers, Commercial Cargo Call Santino
Tel: 905-676-1233
Fax: 905-676-8800
Email: santino@atlanticandpacific.com 1750 Courtneypark Drive Unit #5, Mississauga, Ont, Canada L5T 1W1
Prestige International Import & Export *
GR OCER Y * AIRLINE TICKET GROCER OCERY * SHIPPING AGENCY * * * *
Shipping Overseas: Ghana, Nigeria, U.S.A., Jamaica Shipping Internal: Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, etc Grocery Money Transfer: Nigeria & Ghana
Tel: 905-459-2828 647-887-5536 (CBA) Located at: 190
Bovaird, Unit 34/35
Main Intersection Hwy 10/Bovaird on West of Bovaird & Gillingham
Tel: 416-213-0660 Fax: 416-213-0385 Cell: 416-831-9478 397 Humberline Dr., Unit 4, Toronto, Ont., M9W 5T5
The Ghanaian News
Ghanaian News online www.ghanaiannews.ca
January 2012
57
CARGO - LINK INTERNATIONAL (Freight Forwarders & Consolidators) Competent Commitment & Excellence
MOVE TO NEW LOCATION
Micangel Global Inc. Shipping and Freight Forwarding SEA * AIR * LAND Fast Easy and Reliable Service To All African Countries and Other Worldwide Ports CUSTOM CLEARANCE, PICK-UP, DELIVERY
For your Reliable Export Services - Shipping Services to Ghana, Nigeria, Clearing & Delivery Services in Ghana * You don't need to go to the Port * You don't need to see any Agent * Just see a CARGO-LINK Representative in Accra & Kumasi for your Safe & Affordable Shipment * We also do door to door in Accra & Kumasi at very low transportation cost (EXTRA) * We give Bill of Lading too to those who want to clear their own goods Contact: Regina or B'B Manu
Tel: 416-736-1905 416-822-9462 Fax: 416-736-9973 1111 Finch Ave. W., Unit 31, North York
Caleb Shipping Inc (CSI) International Freight Forwarders & Consolidators At CSI, we display excellence. We appreciate customers' shipping problems. Our goal is to ensure customers satisfaction Shipment to African ports and other worldwide destinations, CSI is your container experts. Our rates are very competitive For unique services, call Captain Asare for quotation and any shipping related enquires
Tel: 416-614-1500 / 416-457-1174 4284 Weston Road @ Steeles
www.220v.com We Carry Brand Name 220/50Hz Export Model
USED GENERATOR SALE Household Products Kitchen Appliances Generator
Unlocked GSM Cellphones Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Siemens
Plasma TVs
Used Generator Sale Tel: 416-646-0495
Gas & Electric Stoves
FREEZERS, REFRIGERATORS, WASHERS, DRYERS, AIR CONDITIONERS, VACUUM CLEANERS, TRANSFORMERS Digital tape conversion, fast professional same day service
Freezers
NEW ADDRESS 5707 Steeles Ave. West,Toronto, Ont. M9L 1S7 South East Corner of Steeles and Fenmar / Pine Valley
Tel: 905-461-0083 Fax: 905-461-0084 E-mail: caleb@csi.bidcon.net 2585 Drew Rd, Unit 4, Mississauga, Ont, L4T 1G1
We bale Used Clothing
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The Ghanaian News January 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
January 2012
59
FOOD FOR LIFE Bringing the Gospel to our Community By: Rev. Joseph Osei-Amoah IT IS OUR CHRISTIAN DUTY TO INTERCEED IN PRAYER FOR OTHERS “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them, and give thanks. 2 Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 for he wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” (1Timothy 2:1-4 New Living Translation) January, the first month of the New Year is almost gone. I believe many of us Christians are busy reviewing our activities of the past year and resolving to do better in this New Year. It is very easy for some of us to limit our activities for 2012 to issues concerning ourselves, our families and our local churches. No doubt the Lord Jesus will be pleased with us as his followers if we would begin doing what the Apostle Paul is encouraging us to if we have not been doing so. While in some of his writings, the Apostle urges us
Christians to make Christ’s second coming our main focus in life, the Lord wants us “to pray for all people; for kings and all those in authority so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.” If Christians ever needed to pray, I believe it is now when there is so much instability everywhere in our world. It appears people everywhere are restless because of unfilled dreams, disappointment in marital relationships, armed conflicts, loss of loved ones and many more, which require Christians to pray for all people. The Lord Jesus assures his followers with these words, “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14 NKJV) How can we pray for all people? Of course Paul was not implying that we pray for each person by name. This is what I do; sometimes I pray for people in a geographical area or name as many
countries as I can. When the daily news focuses on a nation, I bring that nation before the Lord in prayer. It is also easier to pray for people you do not know as you empathize with people; as if you are physically in their afflictions such as drought, earthquake, flood, hurricane or other tragic events. Imagine you were one of the Chilean miners trapped several feet in the bowels of the earth and needed to be rescued, how would pray? Everyday the mass media carry news of child abuse, homicide, armed robbery and traffic accidents that affect real people who need the intervention of the Spirit of God through the prayers of God’s
South Sudan: UN condemns refugee camp air raid cont'd from pg. 39
Many rebels in these regions fought alongside southerners during the decades-long civil war that ended with Khartoum agreeing to the south’s independence. Relations between Khartoum and Juba are clearly at breaking point. Since South Sudan won independence last July, there has been no end of trouble along their border. At times their armed forces have clashed, using tanks and aircraft, but no all-out conflict. But the dispute over oil could push relations over the edge. South Sudan has decided to close its oil production after Sudan seized crude oil piped through its territory to reach international markets. Both countries depend almost entirely on oil for their revenues. They have few alternatives to fall back on. For South Sudan there is the option of finding a route to the sea via Kenya. There are reports that the authorities in Juba will announce the building of a pipeline through Kenya next week. Another possibility is taking the oil in tankers by road. Both are hugely ambitious, but South Sudan argues
that it survived years of war and could survive whatever comes its way. For Sudan, the reduction in oil revenues has already caused difficulties, with people complaining of rising prices. Both Sudan and South Sudan have much to lose by continued confrontation, but at the moment there seems little appetite in either capital to find a compromise. South Sudan to suspend oil output Sudan’s army spokesman Khalid Sawarmi said Sudanese forces had been recently involved in fighting against rebels in Blue Nile in the village of Aroum. “We attacked them and drove them out of this place. [We] did not use any planes or Antonovs there,” he told the BBC. Following the strike on El Foj, most people have now fled the area or have been helped to relocate by the UN, the agency says. The authorities in Upper Nile state say they do not have first-hand confirmation of an incident at El Foj. However Upper Nile’s Information Minister Peter Lam Both did accuse
Sudan of carrying out another air raid in the state on Sunday. He told the BBC that three people were killed and four wounded in Khor Yabous, near the border with Sudan. He also said South Sudan’s army had fought off an attack by militias around this time. The UN says more than 78,000 people have fled Sudan since last August because of fighting in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Our correspondent says the latest incident highlights the bad relationship between the two countries as well as the difficult situation many refugees face. Recently the focus has been on oil resources, with South Sudan deciding last week to shut down its production rather than, as it sees it, have some of its oil stolen by the north, he says. The two sides are currently discussing how to share their oil resources at talks in Ethiopia. But whatever the full truth of the matter, the greatest concern to many is security not oil, our reporter says.
people to bring healing and comfort to them. The Lord is counting on you and I to intervene for them. In Romans 13:1-7, Paul encourages Christians to submit to every civil authority since they are appointed by God (Romans 13:1). He wrote this during the rule of the Roman Empire, a brutal, antichristian civil authority that ruled the world and imprisoned him. He was also aware of the positive function of that civil system such as the maintenance of law and order. This explains why he requested prayers for kings and all in authority; for a brutal or a repressive government is better than a state of anarchy in any country. Paul adds that when God’s people pray, the Lord intervenes for people to “live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity”. One may wonder why it is necessary for believers to pray before the Lord acts on behalf of people. It has been God’s principle for his people to call upon him since the fall of Adam when his relationship with humanity
was marred. Abel offered an animal sacrifice as a form of prayer (Genesis 4:4). It is recorded in Genesis 4:26, “And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.” Throughout the Old Testament, the people of God prayed to the Lord not only for their own need but interceded for others. Abraham prayed for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33) Moses interceded for the people of Israel and the Lord spared them (Exodus 32:9-14). The Lord instructed Jeremiah to call unto Him and promised to answer and show the prophet wonderful things he had never experienced before (Jeremiah 33:3). Daniel fasted and prayed at the end of the seventy years of the Jewish captivity in Babylon before the Lord sent an angel to announce the end of their captivity (Daniel 9:1-23). During his ministry on earth, prayer was very important to the Lord Jesus Christ and in Luke 18:1 he said, “… men always ought to pray and not lose
heart.” He taught his disciples the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13. In John 17 he prayed for all his followers of all generations including us. The Apostle James encourages believers in Christ to pray and asks for whatever they need in faith. (James 1:5-8) He complained that we do not have because we do not ask and when we ask we do not receive because we ask with the wrong motive (James 4:2-30). Instead of complaining about terrible thing happening around us, let us do what James recommends, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed for rain, and down it poured. The grass turned green, and the crops began to grow again.” (James 5:16-18 NLT) So it is time to pray as never before.
Living Word Assembly of God Church (Affiliated with P.A.O.C.)
139 Millwick Drive Toronto, Ont. (Steeles/Islington) Tel: 416- 741-6285 Fax: 416- 741-0133 Email: livingwordag@bellnet.ca 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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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. Wednesday Midweek Service: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Very Rev. De-Graft Friday Semie Obiri (Calvary Methodist) Prayer Meeting: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday Auxilliary Minister Rev. Youth Musical & Computer Samuel Victor Mpereh Lessons Fellowship Meetings 647-770-8440 Choir Practice, Singing Band Practice
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)
Tel: 416-614-6110
Email: gcmethodist@hotmail.com
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 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 IT’S HARVEST TIME SO REACH OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
It’s A Great Commission!
The Ghanaian News
January 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: 95 Milvan Drive (Off Finch/Milvan) 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
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 10 Belfield Road Tel: 416-247-6629 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
Apostle Charles Anokye-Manu
Website: www.apostlescontinuation.org
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 Schdule 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 January 2012
Let's Think Family - By Rev. Dr. Samuel Kisseadoo SEX AND ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE PART I Wewishtodiscusstheinterestingtopic of The Role Of SexAnd Romance In MarriageAndFamilyLife.Didyouever considerthefactthatyoursexualityand the ability to express it as a male or female in romantic and intimate ways is agiftfromGod? “Every good and every perfect gift is fromabove,andcomesdownfromthe Father of lights, with whom there is no variationorshadowofturning”(James 1:17). As is usually the case, any gift can be abused and misused. But as the scriptures tell us that God does not show “variations” in his absolute laws and purposes;neitherdoesHeturnawayat anytimefromthestraightcourseHesets for us to follow and exercise His gifts andproperlyuseHisblessingsproductively.Theabuseofthegiftofsexuality in mankind probably ranks as number oneonthelistofmisusedgiftsthroughout history. God created sex as a very strong, physical, spiritual, emotional, andmentalmeansbywhichyoucanexpress and bond to the opposite sex in a permanentunioncalledmarriage. The sex passion is the strongest of all passions in the human body, and can thereforedothegreatestdamagetoour bodies and relationships as well, if it is not wisely managed, and spins out of control. Most people do not know or consider the fact that when two people have sexualintercourse,theirspiritsactually enterintoeachother,tocreateasoultie. Goddesignedsexthatwayinorderfor it to be used to form a spiritually exclusive bond between one man and one woman in a holy, sacred institution of marriage. This teaching must be echoed again and again in all homes, pulpits, and institutions across the world today! This is one of the major reasons why fornicationandadulteryareterribleacts that destroy the body, mind, soul, and spirit of the perpetrators, because you forcetheestablishmentofanalienbond that tremendously damages the real bond in your marriage, or disrupts the bond when the time comes to bond properly and legally with your mate. It islikestickinganadhesivetapeorplas-
ter carelessly to places and removing them thoughtlessly until its capacity tobondissoreducedthatwhenyounow need to use it properly for its intended target and purpose, it is unable to bond well or cannot even bond at all. We shall discuss the details of this in another article, but the misuse of our sexual desires and instincts (including masturbation,andpornographyonthe Internet and in magazines) is a major contributing factor that has caused failed marriages, dysfunctional families, and frivolous carnal minds to become rampant in our society today. In these End Times when the Second Coming of Christ is so near, the devil is working overtime to fool mankind into all sorts of sexual promiscuities and perversions with our hands and mouths, in addition to other acts of immorality. Most of these indecent, unwise,disease-inviting,disrespectful, addictive, and uncontrollable sexual exploits are senselessly pursued specially outside of the boundaries of holiness in legal marriages. The overall satanic-oriented sexual mentality is aided and propelled by the deception that“wearemerelyfulfillingouremotional needs and enjoying our sexual freedomwithoutgoingtoofarintoreal deep sexual acts”. The media and the extremelyliberalcomponentofoursocieties fuel the contorted sexual quest bymakingusbelievethattheseungodly sexual mindset and acts are part of modern development, and everyone seems to approve of the camouflaged immoral acts. The deception is further heightened and intensified by the fact that after all, pregnancy does not also
result from our extra-marital sexual misconducts. Many teenage boys and girls, who are the most vulnerable to deceptive sexualexpressions,haveconsequently become sexually corrupt too early.A tragic outcome is that the exclusive God-given respect that men should have for women and sex is getting lost at a fast rate. Several women, sadly to say,donotevenrespecttheirownbodies anymore, by the thoughtless pursuits of their own unwarranted sexual acts with men and women. The same situationappliestomanymenwhoare losing their God-given leadership potentialinhomesandmarriages,including their leadership in teaching moral and holy values in families. Ultimately the institution of marriage isdesecrated,andmanyofusarelosing any genuine respect and meaning for marriage and what God designed it to be.Youngpeopleagainaretheprimary victims in this loss of respect for sexuality and marriage. In my opinion, the future looks bleak for productive marriagesandfamilylifethatwillformthe bedrockofournations,IFtheadultsand parents in our society do not wake up now to teach young people the value andproperuseoftheirGod-givensexuality, before it is too late! Churches should lead our nations in suchteachingonproperuseofsexand family values plus the pursuit of holiness, but the first responsibility lies on parents,andthetrainingmusttherefore begin in our homes. Researchshowsthatifyoudonotgive any sex education at all to your child beforetheageof9,yourchancesofproperly educating him or her sexually might become too late.Although the majorityofchildrenbegintheirpuberty around 11 to 13 years old, some childrenmatureearly,andbegintomenstruateandovulateorobtainmaturesperms asearlyas10yearsold.Thenormalhumancuriosityforexperiencesnaturally sets in, as sexually stimulating chemicalsstarttorunaroundtheirbodiesand brains like wild bush fires. The devil then begins to whisper all kinds of strange sexual ideas into their ears and impressfilthythoughtsontheirminds, especiallythroughtheirpeers,movies,
magazines,andInternetpornographic sites that become agents of diabolical sexual explosions. If people are given the right teaching aftertheyhavetakeninthewrongteaching or erroneous ideas from other sources,itbecomesextremelydifficult tochangetheirmindstoacceptthetruth. It is worse with children who are naturally very impressionable, and can become easily indoctrinated with the wrong teaching about their sexuality. This sexually driven erosion of maritalandhealthyfamilyvaluesisrunning attopspeedevenamongmanyregular church members and visible church leadersacrossthenations!OhGodhelp us!! I wish to emphasize again that the humanbodyisagiftfromGod,including all the attributes that go with it. Reproductive organs, sex desire, and sexual expression,arethereforeessentialparts ofGod’sgiftstomankind,andmustbe used according to the divine instructions of God who is the Originator and Maker. God intends that we enjoy the giftofsex,butonlywithintheconfines ofHisprescribedlawsandregulations, in the context of marriage. I see the need to make two important definitionsclearatthisjuncture,before proceedingwithourdiscourse,inorder not to get our facts and conversation fuzzyalongtheway: 1)Sexreferstomaleorfemalegender, orthephysiologicalandfunctionaldifferences between the two genders. It is the third definition that is extra celebrated, stirs up excessive curiosity, sound alarm bells that draw ultimate attention, and whets all the appetites aroundtheenvironment——sexalso means sexual intercourse between a male or female (also known biologically as coitus or copulation). 2)Romanceimpliesaloveaffair.Itcarries the idea of your whole mental, physical, and spiritual attitude and behavior towards someone you love. In my opinion sex is meant to make us moreloving,romantic,tender,compassionate,andcaringtowardstheonewe havesexwith.Sexshouldmakeusacceptourspousemoreandbecomecontent with him or her. That is why both
partiesmusthavethesamebestattitude towardssex,andplaytheirpartequally well in the process. If all these do not happen, then we have misunderstood and misused our gift of sex, even in marriage. Romancegoeshandinhand withaffection. 3)Affection is a fond or tender feeling towards another person.Affection can be expressed in many tender ways (gentle touch, holding of hands, a kiss orpeckonthecheekorhand,ahug,apat ontheback,gentlewords,lovinglooks andfacialexpressionsetc.).Laterarticles will deal with in-depth matters of affection. Some men and women are so unaffectionate that pieces of timber logsarenotdifferentfromtheirmanner oflifeinrelationships!Theyareexactly likedeadtreetrunkseverywhereinthe house including their behavior on the marriagebed!Ohboy!Whatalife! Whensomeoneorsomethingissexy,it implies that the person or thing has a sexual appeal, and arouses sexual desire. It can also imply over-expression ofsexualinstinctsanddesires.Another word is: erotic. If that is true, then for a general balanced life in our relationships,wearetoberomanticastheneed arises,orhavearomanticattitudeinour marriages.Althoughwemustbesexually attractive to our mates all the time in our marriages, we are not to merely focus on being sexy beings in our lifestyle,butratherfocusonbeingmore romantic, which will automatically produce its appropriate sexual responsesandresults.Moreover,thestate of being sexy to someone should be exclusiveforaproperlydefinedsexual relationship within the context of marriage. We should again note that on the negativeside,beingsexycanalsorefer to overuse and over-expression of our sexuality(eveninourdressing,words, gestures, attitudes, entertainment, and wayofthinking),whichthenmakesthe person cheap and repulsive to people with pure values. Romance involves the expression of yourloveforsomeone,whichdoesnot necessarily have to involve any sexual actatall.Therearemanypeople(especiallymen)whoareverysexybutvery unromantic! Theyjumpontheirwives
likeanairplanemakinganemergency landing at a remote airport on a very cloudydaywhentherunwaycannotbe seen.Theyindulgeinsexualintercourse with their wives without any real expression of love and tender affection towardsthepersontheyarehavingsex with. Their selfishness does not make themconsiderthewelfareandsatisfactionoftheirmateevenforaminute!As a matter of fact they often leave the womanbruised,hurt,andunfulfilled— — sometimes even angered. Most of such men have sex with their wives onlyontheirterms.Somewivesbehave in a similar fashion by literally “selling their bodies to their husbands in hard cash”, by denying their husbands their God-given need of sexual fulfillment. We shall dwell more on this aspect in future articles. Letmesaysomethinghere—Areyou ready for this one?? I wish to point out that God almighty Himself is romantic and affectionate. Wow! It does not mean His mouth is watering after His wife or lady! No! It means God willinglyandgenuinelyexpresseshislove and tender care for His creation, especially humans that He created in His express image. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (St. John 3:16) is a romantic statement. GodisexpressingHislove,tender mercy, compassion, and desire for thewellbeingofmenandwomenthat Heloves,inaverypassionateway.That is why the Bible even speaks about “giving a holy kiss to one another”. Sex and childbirth are two words that draw delightful attention in every cultureunderthesun.Theyformtheskeletontowhichthemeatofmarriageand family life is attached. Sex organs, sex desire, and sexual intercourse are vital for our survival and well-being, especially because they form an exclusive and sacred attribute for special enjoyment and bond of marital love that intricately weaves a man and a woman together in a mysterious, covenanted bond, whose by product is life in the form of a child, which further portrays cont'd on pg. 63
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
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The Ghanaian News
SEX AND ROMANCE IN MARRIAGE cont'd from pg. 62 theprincipleoftwo(husbandandwife) becoming one (a child resulting from the mixture of two individuals). Sex is the vehicle on which humans ride to entertheworld,andshouldberevered, deeplyrespected,cherished,engagedin at the appropriate time and by the authorizedpersons,expressedonlyinthe wayitwasdesignedfor,learnedabout, well performed, absolutely enjoyed meaningfully, and allowed to fulfill its God-intendedrole.Weallknowthatsea water and huge waves are intended to remainwithintheboundariesoftheland at the shore. Right? InDecember2004whencircumstances weresignificantlyandadverselyaltered intheoriginallydesignedenvironment in the ocean inAsia, the waters and the waves subsequently rose and raced above their normal limits and went beyond the prescribed boundaries in a catastrophic way. What did we get? Tsunami! Howmanysexualtsunamis
havewehadsofarthathavedevastated marriages, homes, and families in our society? How many “sexual lions, tigers,andfoxes”arerampagingourcommunitiesandtearinguncontrollableold and young folk apart at this moment? Howmanysexualstormsarepresently gathering momentum to explode and shatter us to annihilation tomorrow? Question: Are you properly and wisely managing your God-given gift of sex and your general sex life, sexual desire,andsexualexpressionswithsensible self control and selfless expression, looking out for the best interests of those you relate to, and not being an unfortunatepartofthesexualtsunamis, moral decadence, and sexual abuse of today?Ifyouaremarried,howsexually faithfulareyouinyourmarriageorlove relationship? Do you fulfill the sexual needs of your mate, and refrain from violating him or her sexually? Pause and think about it, make appropriate changes as necessary, then encourage and teach others to do the same.
PART I
Tune in to JOY 99.7 FM in Accra, Ghana on Saturdays at 5:30 am – 6:00 am (Ghana Time) or US Eastern ST 12:30 am – 1:00 am November to March, and listen to Dr. Kisseadoo’s broadcast “Hope For Your Family”. Access on the Internet using MYJOYONLINE.COM, and click on “Live Radio”. Obtain Dr. Kisseadoo’s books online from: RedLeadBooks.com or Amazon.com using his name. Contact him in the USA (1-7577289330) for copies of all of his 14 books, free counseling and prayer. Visit his website: www.fruitfulministriesint.com for essentials that will enrich your relationships and ministry. Use DrSamuel Kisseadoo to access his Wall on Facebook. Rev. Dr. Samuel A. Kisseadoo (Professor of Biology, USA. International Evangelist. Ordained & Licensed Minister. Teacher, Conference Speaker). Founder and President, Fruitful Ministries International Inc. (Evangelistic & Teaching Ministry). 6 Red Robin Turn, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA. Tel.1- 757-7289330 E-mail: kisseadoo@msn.com
St. John's Anglican Church VENUE:
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)
Sunday: Celebration
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Living Praise Ministries Int'l Church
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Sunday Worship Celebration: 10 a.m. Friday Prayer Meeting / Discipleship Group: 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Last Sunday of Every Month: Healing Service
Our Services
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Apostle Samuel Ansah Servant of God
ALL ARE INVITED 224 Garrison Road, Unit 10, Fort Erie, Ont.
"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)
Pastor Sam Addai
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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)
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Weekly Spiritual Growth
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POWER OF THE CROSS MINISTRIES
Apostle-in-charge: Apostle Twumasi Ankrah
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.
2125 WESTON RD., WESTON ONT. Priest-in-charge: Rev. Fr. Gabriel Opoku Ware
Invites You All To Come Worship With Us
We are a diverse group of individuals who come together to build a church based upon a common foundation in Christ Jesus
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Ghanaian Congregation
The Christ Healing Church Int'l
VENUE:
January 2012
Place of Worship 236 Queen Mary Drive Brampton, ON L7A 3L3
Contact Info: Tel: 647 210 7057 Website: www.whemtoday .org
Fax: 905 495 4789
Email: info@whemtoday.org
Upcoming Events: ♦
Evangelism Prayer Breakfast (EPB) on Jan 28
♦
At Kingdom House Christian Centre, 25 Van Kirk Dr. Unit 7 & 8, Brampton
♦
School of Evangelism: Feb 3, 10 & 17: at Cheyne Middle School, 236 Queen Mary Dr. Brampton
♦
Prayer and Fasting Retreat on March 2-4
♦
Special Guest Speaker, Bishop Burnett from Harvestime Ministries in England.
♦
Place: Salvation Army Jackson’s Point Conference Centre.
Please call 647 210 7057 for details or email info@whemtoday.org with your questions. Healing Service: Last Sunday of every month at Cheyne Middle School. 236 Queen Mary Dr. Brampton.
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
Around the Ghana Sports Scene with Jonathan Annobil History of the African Cup of Nations 10-man Ghana holds on to win 1-0 against Botswana By: Ebo Quansah in Accra It is that time again, when all Africa vibrates to the sounds of association football. The 28th Orange African Cup of Nations kicks-off in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon this weekend. New comers Equatorial Guinea, ranked 151 in the world, will do battle with Libya in a match that will add to the drama of the championship. On paper, the two sides are not likely to contest the final of finals in three weeks time. Equatorial Guinea are virtually new to association football. As a matter of fact, that country never had any facilities for serious football until 2003. They are taking to the field with a mixture of home-grown players and rented stars, in the sense that their key players had just completed nationality switches from various nations. The fondest memory most Ghanaians have of Equatorial Guinea is that it is from one of its island cities, Fernando Po, that Tetteh Quarshie of blessed memory brought cocoa beans to plant in Ghana, and laid the foundation stone for what has sustained this nation’s economy all these years. One interesting thing about the opening match tomorrow is that the opponent, Libya, now calling its national team, the Mediterranean Knights, have not played much football in the year, following the outbreak of the civil war that ousted military dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The Libyans are in their third continental assignment, having hosted the championship and ending up as the runners-up to Ghana in that penalty shoot-out in Tripoli in 1982. After what is expected to be a mild opening match, the big boys take the stage with what is expected to be an exhilarating encounter between the Teranga Lions of Senegal and Chipopolo of Zambia. What really is the African Cup of Nations? How did it come about, and why does it excite Africa so much? The idea to stage a continental championship originated from a chance meeting of representatives of the four independent African nations at the time, who had been invited to participate in the 1956 congress of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital. The four nations, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa, met at the Hotel Avenida in Lisbon, and agreed to begin a continental championship along the lines of the European Cup. Following the initial agreement, a follow-up meeting was held in Egypt, where the modalities for the first African Cup of Nations hosted by Sudan, were worked out. The championship was open to only independent African nations. Consequently, the four self-ruled nations – Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa – gathered in Khartoum for the maiden championship.
However, South Africa were barred from taking part in the competition, when the then apartheid nation refused to field a multi-racial team, and decided to parade an all-while squad. The Pharaohs of Egypt thrashed Ethiopia 4-0 in the final to take home the Abdel Aziz Trophy, donated by the first Secretary-General of the Confederation of African Football. In 1959, Egypt hosted the African Cup of Nations in Cairo. Once again, South Africa refused to field a multiracial team, and were barred until they such a time that they would obey the command of the founding fathers. Egypt met Sudan in the final and won 2-1. In 1961, Egypt took the trophy to Addis Ababa for the third Cup of Nations Championship, and were thrashed 4-2 by the host nation. Ethiopia were the new lords of African football. Two years later, the emerging football nation on the West Coast of Africa, which had renamed its national team, the Black Stars on the attainment of republican status to “reflect the aspirations of the black race, invited the best in Africa to the centre of the earth. Five nations, including the host, arrived for the fourth African Cup of Nations in Ghana, where the championships were held in Accra and Kumasi. Host nation Ghana, Tunisia and Ethiopia were based in Accra, while Sudan, Egypt and new entrants Nigeria, pitched camp in Kumasi. Ghana romped to the finals with Sudan, and thrashed the Nile Crocodiles 3-0. The late Edward Acquah scored twice. As African champions, the Black Stars took a very young team to Tunisia for the defence of the trophy, and fought the final with Tunisia. The match was the first in the history of the championship that went into extra time The Black Stars defeated the host 2-1 in a dramatic extra time win, to record the second triumph in continental soccer for the famous Black Stars of Ghana. In a decade that could be said to belong to the Black Stars of Ghana, in terms of the team’s dominance of the African game, the Black Stars stormed into the finals of finals in 1968 and 1970. In 1968, after accounting for Congo Kinshasa (later to be called Zaire and Congo DR) 2-1 in the group stages, the Black Stars lost the final of finals 1-0. It was a highly explosive and controversial match, with several strange decisions against the Black Stars. In 1970, the Black Stars encountered host nation Sudan in the final of finals, and lost 1-0. It was a very contentious final. The Black Stars refused to collect their silver medals, citing biased officiating and intimidation from the crowd. Sudan’s military dictator, General Nimery, ordered the Ghanaian contingent to leave his
country on the next available plane. To date, the 1970 incident marked the only time in association football, when a whole team had been deported. The 1970 debacle brought Ghana’s dominance in African football to a temporary halt. The Black Stars did not qualify in 1972, 1974, and again in 1976. In 1972, Congo Brazzaville surprised most pundits by taking the trophy in Cameroon. The Leopards of Zaire defeated Zambia 2-0 in a replay in Cairo in 1974, after the final match had ended 2-2. After missing out on three successive occasions, the Black Stars of Ghana hosted the rest of Africa in Accra and Kumasi in 1978, and defeated Uganda 2-0 in the final to claim the Abdel Aziz Trophy for good. Unfortunately, the Black Stars failed to make it out of the group stages when they went to Nigeria in their quest to win the new African Unity Cup. The then Green Eagles of Nigeria stormed to their first continental triumph in 1980, playing to a sell-out crowd in Lagos, against Algeria. Ghana returned to winning ways in Libya, when the Black Stars stopped the hearts of Libyans with a 7-6 win on penalties, after a 1-1 drawn game, after extra time. After the triumph in Libya, the Black Stars lost their way until 10 years later, when they contested the final of finals with Cote d’Ivoire. The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire recorded their first and only African championship win, with a marathon 11-10 on penalties victory in Dakar. Before then, Cameroon accounted for Nigeria in Abidjan 3-1, to become African cham-
pions for the first time. In 1986, when Egypt hosted Africa on the banks of the Nile, the Pharaohs defeated the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 5-4 on penalties. Cameroon added to the solitary win in 1984, by recording a 1-0 triumph once more, over the Eagles of Nigeria in the championship staged in Morocco. Algeria made good their slogan of host and win in 1990, defeating Nigeria 1-0. Nigeria returned to the winning ways in 1994, by reclaiming the African Unity Cup, at the expense of Zambia in Tunis, in 1994. In 1996, South Africa, just emerging as a multi-racial society after long years of apartheid, and cheered on by antiapartheid icon, Nelson Mandela, hosted the championship and defeated Tunisia 20 in the final. In 1998, Egypt beat South Africa 2-0 in the final hosted by Burkina Faso before Cameroon accounted for Nigeria in the first joint hosting, featuring Ghana and Nigeria, in the year 2000. The Indomitable Lions scrapped through 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Abuja. Two years after the Cameroonian triumph, the Indomitable Lions were victors once more over Senegal in the 2002 championship in the desert heat of Mali. In 2004, Tunisia accounted for Morocco in Tunis, while Egypt claimed their fourth winners’ medal at home, with victory over Cote d’Ivoire. Egypt again, claimed the top spot with a lone goal victory over Cameroon in Accra in 2008, before defeating Ghana 1-0 in the 2010 championship hosted by Angola.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Group A EQUATORIAL GUINEA LIBYA SENEGAL ZAMBIA Group B COTE D’IVOIRE SUDAN BURKINA FASO ANGOLA Group C GABON NIGER MOROCCO TUNISIA Group D GHANA BOTSWANA MALI GUINEA The 2012 edition is historic, because it will mark the last time the biennial competition will be held in an even year since the inaugural edition in 1957 in Sudan. Starting from 2013, when South Africa is billed to host it, the tournament shifts to odd years to prevent it from clashing with the World Cup, the sport’s biggest and most glamorous event.
Ghana captain John Mensah scored before being sent off on Tuesday as the title contender surrendered its early superiority in a nervous 10 win over lowly Botswana at the African Cup of Nations. Mensah forced the ball in from a corner in the 25th minute to cap a dominant first half for the four-time winners at a half-empty Stade de Franceville. But Mensah was shown a straight red card in the 66th after dragging down Jerome Ramatlhakwane on the edge of the area, forcing Ghana to hold on
in a game it was expected to win with ease. Botswana had threatened a stunning upset when only a desperate goal-line clearance from John Boye earlier in the second half prevented Moemedi Moatlhaping’s header from equalizing. Ghana Starting line-up: Adam Kwarasey — John Paintsil, Samuel Inkoom, John Boye, John Mensah — Anthony Annan, Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, Sulley Muntari, Andre Ayew — Asamoah Gyan, Jordan Ayew
Group D Teams MP W GHANA 1 1 MALI 1 1 BOTSWANA 1 0 GUINEA 1 0
D 0 0
L 0 0
GF GA 1 0 1 0
GD 1 1
Pts 3 3
0 0
1 1
0
-1 -1
0 0
1 0
1
African Cup of Nations 2012: Results Day 6: January 26 GROUP B: Sudan 2-2 Angola, Malabo GROUP B: Ivory Coast 2-0 Burkina Faso, Malabo Day 5: January 25 GROUP A: Zambia 2-2 Lybia Equatorial Guinea 2-1 Senegal Day 4: January 24 GROUP D: Ghana 1-0 Botswana GROUP D: Mali 1-0 Guinea Day 3: January 23 GROUP C: Gabon 2 - 0 Niger GROUP C:Morocco 1 - 2 Tunisia Day 2: January 22 GROUP B: Côte d'Ivoire 1 - 0 Sudan GROUP B: Burkina Faso 1-2 Angola Day 1: January 21 GROUP A: Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Libya GROUP A: Senegal 1-2 Zambia
**
Results so far as at time of going to press
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
10th Anniversary celebration Ghanaian Women's Fasting & Prayer Conference And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language: and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do Gen 11:6
Monday Monday,, May 21st 2012 Victoria's Day Holiday At ch Living W or d Assemb ly of God Chur Wor ord Assembly Churc 139 Mill wic k Driv e (Steeles/Islington) Millwic wick Drive
9:00 a.m. - 12noon Come and let's celebration our God! For more info call:
416-916-3700, 905-265-9747, 647-343-3567, 905-791-3720, 416-749-0631, 905-846-6257, 905-792-9516, 416-248-8593
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
Light House Assembly of God Church Moves to a New Location at 42 Steinway Blvd., Unit 1 & 2, Etobicoke
Rev. & Mrs. Takyi DeGraft
Pastors and wife Pastors and Church Deacons & Deaconness
Pastor De graft and wife with some members Congregation
Congregation
Worship Team
Congregation Congregation
Church Ushers
Congregation
Technical Team
The Ghanaian News
January 2012
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The Ghanaian News January 2012
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