Gbagbo Ally Arrested By Interpol

Justin Kone Katinan 

A key ally of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, has been arrested by the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL) Section of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

Justin Kone Katinan was arrested in traffic on September 28, 2012, barely three days after he had been granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties by the Osu District Magistrate’s Court.

It is unclear whether or not his arrest stemmed from recent skirmishes which occurred on the Ivorian side of the Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire border on September 21, 2012.

Police authorities are tight-lipped on the motive for his arrest.

In an interview with graphic.com.gh, Mr Patrick Sogbodjor, counsel for Katinan, confirmed his arrest and expressed misgivings at the behaviour of the security services.

After the collapse of Laurent Gbagbo’s regime, Katinan, a former Budget Minister, fled to Ghana where he has been living as a refugee since April 13, 2011. 

He was first arrested at the KIA on August 24, 2012, following a warrant issued by an Ivorian court on August 16, 2012 requesting him to be extradited to Cote d’Ivoire to face prosecution for alleged economic crimes he committed during the recent post-election violence in that country.

Following his arrest on August 24, 2012, the Osu District Magistrate Court on September 25, 2012 granted bail to Mr Katinan.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr Aboagye Tandoh, directed Mr Katinan to report to officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) every two weeks. 

It further directed that the rights of Mr Katinan “to protection as an asylum seeker under our laws should be intact until otherwise stated”.

Katinan is the second top official in Gbagbo's government to be arrested while living in exile.

The first was Moise Lida Kouassi, a former Defence Minister, who was arrested in Togo on June 6, 2012 and was extradited the same day.

According to Mr Sogbodjor, it was most unfortunate for his client to be picked up without any justification and, especially, at a time “he is in a court of competent jurisdiction awaiting extradition proceedings”.

Mr Sogbodjor said he received a telephone call on Friday, around 5:30 p.m. that a security officer had stopped his client in traffic for questioning.

Counsel said he spoke to the said security officer, who explained that his superiors at the Interpol Unit of the Police CID had requested that Katinan be brought to answer a few questions.

Mr Sogbodjor said the security officer also indicated that he had a warrant to justify why Katinan was needed at the Interpol Unit, but declined to state the content of the said warrant.

“In fact, they created the impression they needed my client for a few minutes, and I actually advised him to adhere to the call. Little did I know it was a ploy to arrest him because when I got to the CID headquarters, he had been put in cells,” Mr Sogbojor said.

“As at this Sunday afternoon, I, my client and his family do not know the reason for his arrest,” counsel said, and wondered why security officials could not adhere to a simple human right issue as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

“It is a bother when persons are picked up and are not told why they have been arrested. It is very much scornful when their lawyers have to go through difficulties in their bid to have access to their clients,” Mr Sogbodjor said.

“It is a basic human right for suspects to be told why they are arrested, as well as allowed to have access to their lawyers,” he added.

Daily Graphic |Ghana

Facebook photo of burned Quran ignites Bangladeshi Muslims to set Buddhist temples ablaze

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of Bangladeshi Muslims set fire to at least 10 Buddhist temples and 40 homes in anger over a Facebook photo of a burned Quran before authorities restored order.

The situation was under control Sunday afternoon after extra security officers were deployed and the government banned public gatherings in the troubled areas near the southern border with Myanmar, said Nojibul Islam, a police chief in the coastal district of Cox's Bazar.

He said at least 20 people were injured in the attacks that started late Saturday after a photo of a burned copy of the Muslim holy book was posted on Facebook. The rioters blamed the photo on a local Buddhist boy, though it was not immediately clear if he actually posted the photo.

Bangladesh's popular English-language Daily Star newspaper quoted the boy as saying that the photo was mistakenly tagged on his Facebook profile. The newspaper reported that soon after the violence started, the boy's Facebook account was closed and police escorted him and his mother to safety.

Joinul Bari, chief government administrator in Cox's Bazar district, said authorities detained the boy's parents and were investigating.

Buddhists make up less than 1 percent of Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 150 million people.

The Bangladeshi violence follows protests that erupted in Muslim countries over the past month after a low-budget film, "Innocence of Muslims," produced by a U.S. citizen denigrated the Prophet Muhammad by portraying Islam's holiest figure as a fraud, womanizer and child molester.

Some two dozen demonstrators have been killed in protests that attacked symbols of U.S. and the West, including diplomatic compounds.

Report on CI78 laid before parliament

The Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, Hon. Kwame Osei Prempeh laid the committee’s report on the controversial Constitutional Instrument (CI) 78 creating the 45 new constituencies.

Discussion of the report is scheduled to commence on Monday 1 October, 2012 where a heated debate as to whether the report should be rejected or otherwise is expected to ensue.

Though the content of the report is not readily known, information gathered indicates that, the minority is likely to push strongly for the rejection of the report due to the several mistakes found in the CI.

The CI is however expected to mature by the first week in October following which the new constituencies will be created and Parliamentary election held in December.

On Thursday, Hon. Kwame Prempeh accused the Majority Leader Clestus Avoka for unduly delaying the report, an allegation he strongly rejected since he asserted that he could not solely determine when a report should be laid in Parliament, adding that that was work of the Business Committee.

Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh

NDC backtracks: John Mahama to join IEA debates

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rescinded its decision never to allow President John Dramani Mahama to attend the IEA’s evening encounter with presidential candidates and debates. 

The ruling party in a meeting with officials of IEA said President Mahama has now agreed to participate in the evening encounters contrary to their previous stance.

The IEA has now scheduled October 9 for President Mahama to face the nation and that will be the first time a sitting president is submitting to such encounters.

The General Secretary of the ruling party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, in a meeting with IEA officials at the NDC headquarters on Friday said: “He [Mahama] has requested me to indicate to you his preparedness to participate in the evening encounters and subsequent debate.]

The leader of the IEA delegation Esi Sutherland told Citi News it is a welcoming news and they are “extremely pleased and it is something that we cherish and we’ll make it possible to ensure he participates.”

It will be recalled that the Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, Richard Quashigah, in a statement during the era of President John Evans Atta Mills affirmed the party’s decision not to participate in the IEA. 

“The NDC government has previously drawn the IEA’s attention to the fact that no sitting president or vice president in the 4th Republic has participated in these debates. It is the party’s position to uphold that convention. The NDC wishes the IEA well and will continue to collaborate with it in other matters of mutual interest,” the statement said.

Source: Citifmonline.com

Adebayor buys GHc160,000 Range Rover for Funny Face

Togolese and Tottenham Hotspur football star, Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor has bought a brand new Range Rover Evoque worth US$80,000 (GHc160,000) for Ghanaian comedian Funny Face.

Sources close to the comedian; born Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng, told Myjoyonline.comthat Funny Face officially received the car on Wednesday.

Emmanuel Adebayor, the source said, bought the car in the US and had it shipped to the UK to be customized for the comedian.

The all-black Range Rover Evoque, with LED screens fitted in it, has a unique leather interior with Funny Face’s well acclaimed nicknameSwaggon Papa embroiled in the seats.

The car, the source hinted, will also have a customized number plate. The number plate may bear the name Funny Face GH1,Myjoyonline.com has been told.

The Chorkor Trotro star tweeted Thursday that: @Sheyiadebayor …..tanx sooo much bro… U are a blessing ..”

Funny Face after bursting onto the Ghanaian comedy and entertainment scene has enjoyed massive friendship and support from renowned entertainment personalities including Emmanuel Adebayor and Ghanaian football star Sulley Muntari.

Source: Myjoyonline.com 

DACF releases GHc426,300,332 to assemblies

An amount of GH¢426.300,332 has been released by the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).

Members of Parliament (MPs) and people with disability have also benefited from the amount, which represents disbursement for the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first and second quarters of 2012.

5m Ghanaians Defecate In Open Daily

Statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO)/UNICEF JMP 2010 indicate that about five million people in Ghana defecate in the open every day as of the end of 2010.

With the annual growth of one per cent point, it will take 40 years to enable the country to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target of 54 per cent.

In addition, more than 5,000 children die yearly due to sanitation related diseases.

This was made known by the Executive Secretary of the Coalition of non-governmental organization (NGOs) in the water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS), Mr. Benjamim Arthur, at a media engagement in Accra last Tuesday.

The media engagement was to advocate enhanced strategies in improving the collection, management and reporting of water, sanitation and hygiene related issues in the media.

The Water and Sanitation Programme of the World Bank also estimates that Ghana loses about $240 million annually in terms of health in labour and productivity caused by inadequate sanitation and hygiene services.

He noted that the issue of the country not having the adequate well-engineered facilities for treating and managing faeces was worrying since the raw faeces was always dumped in water bodies, drains and bushes.

A Communication Educator and consultant, Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey, stressed the need for the government to intensify efforts to clean up Ghana, adding that the county could not be branded well if it continued to be very filthy.

Dr. Messan Mawugbe, the founder of the Centre for Media Analysis, who gave some statistics on media reportage on water, sanitation and hygiene issues in the two state-owned print media houses advised civil society organizations to give the media a central role to play in the promotion of such issues.

Source: Daily Graphic

Pastor Jailed Two Years For Dealing In Fake GHC 50 Cedi Notes

Reverend Isaac Oti Agyemang, a pastor of Conquerors Redemption Church International at Achimota, was on Wednesday sentenced to two years imprisonment for dealing in fake GHC 50 cedi notes.

This was after a Circuit Court in Accra had found Rev. Agyemang guilty on charges of conspiracy to possessing fake currency and possessing fake currency.

Rev. Agyemang and two others were arrested at the church premises on June 28, 2010 with 2,193 pieces of the false GH 50 cedi notes.

Charles Tawiah, a trader, had earlier on pleaded guilty and convicted to six months imprisonment while another pastor of the Church Apostle Richard Kwesi Dwumfour was however acquitted and discharged.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police, (DSP) Abraham Annor, told the court that, personnel from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), on June 28, this year, had information that, some people were in possession of fake GHC50 notes at the church premises and were about to use it for business transactions.

DSP Annor said the BNI personnel armed with that information, trailed the suspects at ABC Junction, Accra until they alighted from a vehicle and walked into the premises of Conquerors Redemption Church International.

He said personnel from the BNI on arrival, met the accused in possession of a black laptop bag containing 2,193 pieces of fake GH 50 cedi notes.

DSP Annor said the accused were arrested and during interrogation, Tawiah owned up and mentioned Apostle Dwumfuor and Rev. Agyemang as persons who were to assist him sell the fake notes.

Source: GNA

'Barking dog' Rawlings will not campaign for NDC - Nyaunu

Rawlings

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Lower Manya Krobo, Michael Teye Nyaunu, has said the Rawlingses will campaign for the National Democratic Party (NDP) ahead of the December general elections.

According to the outspoken legislator, he does not foresee the Rawlingses campaigning for the ruling party because the party has relegated them to the background.

The NDP has called on the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to accept the Presidential candidate position of the party, but Mrs. Rawlings is yet to reply.

In an interview with Citi News, Mr. Nyaunu stated that “maybe subsequent events may change his position but Nana and the founder will not campaign for the NDC because Rawlings is still a barking dog and he needs to be caged. They will campaign for the NDP, National Democratic Party and not the National Democratic Congress.”

According to him, Mrs. Rawlings is qualified in every way to lead the NDP as she is “well educated, has the necessary exposure and I will definitely encourage her to pick it up.”

Mr. Nyaunu also opined that former President Rawlings’ comments on President Mahama to the Volta Regional House of Chiefs in Ho were misinterpreted.

He said: “Rawlings never declared his support for John Mahama. Rawlings said John Mahama taking over the realm of affairs has brought a spark and hope for the NDC. I think Rawlings is very conscious of the choice of words he uses.”

“He said President Mahama has brought some sparkle into the NDC. Even if he brought fire, he said he brought some hope, he didn’t say they have attained it. That is it,” the NDC MP explained.

He however expressed his sympathy to President Mahama because he “has inherited a very fragmented party and I wonder what he can do within this limited time of two or three months to unify the party.”

Source: Citifmonline.com

Demo looms against EC in Salaga as 7000 remain

It is estimated that about 7000 eligible voters in the Salaga constituency in the Northern region are likely to be disenfranchised on December 7.

Reports indicate that the affected persons were left out during the biometric registration exercise due to faulty machines.

A group of civil society organizations called the East Gonja Civil Society Association has given the Electoral Commission one week to address the problem or expect a demonstration if the problem is not solved.

The Association’s Executive Secretary, Abdul Aziz Seidu addressed the media on Thursday saying, “The eligible voters through no fault of theirs will be losing their constitutional right to exercise their franchise and these people who could not register will be the sole cause of the EC.”

“We are by this medium calling on the Chairman of the Electoral Commission to expedite action on the situation to avert any unfortunate circumstance and we want the EC to further consolidate the peace and stability of the country by simply taking steps to get this population registered”, he added.

Aziz cautioned, “It means a lot in Ghana to infringe upon the rights of citizens especially as it is mandated by the constitution and this issue, once it remains unresolved, has the tendency of marring the peace process that the CSO’s, the East Gonja district assembly and for that matter the chiefs and people of the traditional area have strived so much over the years to preserve.”

Source: Citifmonline.com

Skirmishes In Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana Not Involved - Gbevlo Lartey

Ghana has denied any involvement in last Friday’s armed skirmishes at a border town in Cote d’Ivoire.

The National Security Coordinator, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, told the graphic.com.gh that the incident at the border town of Noe in Cote d’Ivoire “was purely an internal Ivorian matter and Ghana has no hand in it”.

He has, accordingly, challenged the Ivorian authorities to show “proof of Ghana’s involvement in the matter”.

He reiterated the government’s resolve not to allow anybody or group of persons to use any part of Ghana’s territory to destabilise any country, especially Cote d’Ivoire, and denied media reports that the incident happened at the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire border.

Last Friday, Cote d’Ivoire closed its border with Ghana after an attack on an Army checkpoint in that country, an incident which the Ivorian Defence Minister, Paul Koffi Koffi, claimed was carried out by "armed elements from Ghana".

“His assertion is a hasty judgemental statement which is without any evidential support,” Lt Col Gbevlo-Lartey said, and stated, “We in Ghana want the Ivorian Defence Minister to give us proof that Ghana has a hand in what is purely an internal matter in Cote d’Ivoire.”

President John Dramani Mahama stated during a recent visit to Abidjan that Ghana would not become a base for those trying to destabilise Cote d’Ivoire, a call Mr Koffi welcomed and described as an example of "frank co-operation" between officials in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

Lt Col Gbevlo-Lartey said Ghana was not interested in the internal affairs of any country, for that matter Cote d’Ivoire, and assured Ghana’s neighbours of its commitment to the peace and stability of the sub-region.

He explained that as a decent member of the international community and trailblazer of African unity and social economic advancement, Ghana would strictly abide by all international laws and protocols that enjoined countries to respect the sovereignty of other nations.

He urged Ghanaians to remain calm while the situation was closely monitored.

Cote d’Ivoire is recovering from months of political unrest after disputed elections in November 2010. An estimated 3,000 people died in the fighting that followed the disputed polls.

Then President Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to then candidate Ouattara, who eventually ousted his rival with the help of former rebel forces, the UN and Cote d’Ivoire’s former colonial power, France.

Mr Gbagbo is currently in The Hague, awaiting trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity.

Meanwhile, both the entry and exit points at the Elubo and Ivorian side of the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Border remain closed.

Many vehicles and people trying to cross over to the other end remain stranded.

At the moment, 200 Ghanaians living in Cote d’Ivoire have returned home using canoes to cross the Tano River.

Some of the stranded travellers told graphic.com.gh that they had set off from Nigeria, Mali, Benin and Togo for business in Cote d’Ivoire and were held up due to the closure of the border, adding that they did not know about the closure or any armed attack.

Security sources at the border stressed the need for an increase in border patrols to help deal with the threat of using unapproved routes linking the two countries.

That, they said, would ensure that armed groups operating in Cote d’Ivoire did not cross into Ghana.

Daily Graphic

Elections 2012: EC to allow proxy voting

The Electoral Commission will allow proxy voting and transfer of votes during the 2012 general election which will be conducted with the Biometric Voters’ Register.

Prospective voters wishing to take advantage of the proxy and the transfer of votes from one polling station to another would, however, have to notify the EC 42 days before the polls instead of the current 21 days.

The Director of lCT, Electoral Commission, Hubert Akumiah, who disclosed this, said the increase of the days would afford the EC enough time to adequately make provision for such a demand with the use of the Biometric Voters Register.

“This year, we will take transfer and proxy of votes very early other than the actual date for the polls. This will help us to make adequate provisions for such demands,” noted Mr Akumiah.

He was speaking at a two-day election sensitization workshop for members of the Parliamentary Press Corps in Ho during the weekend.

The workshop, which was sponsored by the European Union (EU), was under the theme: “The Role of the Parliamentary Reporter in the 2012 General Election”.

Proxy voting is simply when an eligible voter assigns or delegates someone to vote on his behalf when he or she for some reason(s) was unable to be present for such an exercise.

With this, eligible voters wanting to make such a demand have until October 26, 2012 to notify the EC about their intention, failure of which the application would not be granted.

According to Mr Akumiah, the provision of proxy and transfer of votes in the upcoming general elections has a legal backing in the C.I 75 which is currently before Parliament awaiting for approval.

Many registered Ghanaians, especially, those outside the country as well as those having some physical challenges have for decades resorted to proxy voting whenever there was a general election.

In May, 2012, the fear of not having proxy voting in the 2012 general elections was heightened when a newspaper reported that such an exercise was in danger of being eliminated from this year’s election which would be done with the Biometric Voters Register.

Daily Graphic

NPP chairman throws support for NDC over projects

Mr. Kwaku Attah, chairman for the New Patroitic Party (NPP) branch in the Freboye Constituency in the Bosome Freho District in the Ashanti Region, has thrown his support for President John Mahama and the NDC government for initiating noteworthy development projects in the area.

The NPP chairman made his intentions known when he accompanied the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Bosome Freho District, Mr. Kwame Adarkwah to commission a 3-unit classroom block for the Freboye town.

Mr. Adarkwah in an interview,  indicated that due to the increasing population in the town, the school was however over burdened with classroom deficit problems hence the need to construct a new one for them.

He said in view of this, funds were quickly made available and the contract awarded in order to solve the problem as early as possible.

The DCE noted the cost of the school block to be GHs69, 000 adding that the facility is currently in use after it was commissioned about three days ago.

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh

Invest in education – Journalist of the year tells parents

Mr. Manasseh Azure

Poverty is not an excuse for not sending your ward to school was the exact words of Mr. Manasseh Azure Awuni,  2011 Journalist of the year.

He made the remark during the 17th Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) awards night held in Accra on Saturday August 25, 2012.

The Journalist of the year took the opportunity to caution parents against profligate spending and invest in the education of their wards, for by so doing; they would be contributing to enhancing the human resource base of the country as well as raising more future leaders.

Mr. Azure narrated the challenges he faced in his education because he was from a deprived home but due to the unflinching support by his  father’s, he (Azure) has been able to chalk some success in life.

“I use this opportunity to thank God and my father for how far they’ve brought me,” he said urging his colleague journalists to put up their best in all their endeavours.

The 17th GJA awards night was on the theme: "Giving credence to Elections and Democratic stability: The role of the Media".

The Guest Speaker for the night, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, President Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican, who described journalists as prophets, urged them to unite the country with their reportage and not divide with bias reporting that would open ethnic cracks.

Mr. Manasseh Azure also received awards in other categories including; Best News Reporting Radio, Best Report on Sanitation, and Best News Report on TV.

Best in Investigative Reporting went to Moses Dotse Aklorbortu (Daily Graphic), whereas Best in Political Reporting went to Kofi Enchill (The Heritage).

Click here to view full list of the award winners:

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh

Assailants attack Microsoft HQ in Athens

Assailants attacked the offices of Microsoft in Athens early Wednesday, driving a van through the front doors and setting off an incendiary device that burned the building entrance, police said.

There were no reports of injuries in the pre-dawn attack on the U.S. company's headquarters in the Greek capital, located in the Maroussi suburb north of the city center.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Authorities said no warning call had been made before the attack.

Greece has experienced attacks by several small armed anarchist or domestic terrorist groups for decades, which usually target official buildings, banks or symbols of state power with small bombs or incendiary devices. The attacks usually occur late at night and rarely cause injuries.

Police said initial information indicated three people had been inside the van. They forced the two security guards at the building to leave before they reversed the van into the front entrance, smashing the door.

The two security guards were giving testimony to police.

The assailants then triggered an incendiary device inside the van that police said appeared to have consisted of camping gas canisters and several containers of gasoline.

Police forensic teams examined the burned-out van, which was still outside the blackened entrance later Monday morning.

Although they have died down over the past year, attacks had spiked following the fatal police shooting of a teenager in Athens in December 2008 that led to widespread riots across the country.

One group that had appeared in the aftermath of the rioting had set itself apart by claiming responsibility for shooting dead an anti-terrorism police officer in central Athens in 2009 and a journalist in 2010.

AP

Dress-A-Kid foundation donates to Maranathan Community

Attah Effah and kids

Children and teens of the Maranathan Community, a deprived island at Ada Foah in the Dangme East District, were full of smiles and encomiums when they received cloths from the ‘Dress-A-Kid’ crew from Accra.

Dress-A- Kid (GH) is a youth initiative, which solicit and assembles new and slightly used but not worn out clothes online with the aim of donating them to needy children in deprived societies and communities as well as some selected orphanages in the country.

With the motto “CLOTHING THE NEXT GENERATION” this  benevolent youth initiative is self-financed and has so far donated hundreds of one of the major necessities of life (clothes) to over 100 deprived kids .

 Together with another sister youth initiative called Pass-A-Book on, thousands of clothes, bags and other educative materials were recently donated to the Maranatha community.

Without life jackets, this group composed of mainly students, risked their lives and travelled on the Volta River to reach this deprived community, a move the leader, Attah Effah  Badu said was unintentional since all attempts to get life jackets proved futile, moreover, they were cash-strapped.

Some of the crew interracting with the kids

According to  Attah Effah  Badu, the 23-year old  young  leader of this  philanthropic youth initiative, one should not get excess before reaching out to the less privileged in society hence his zeal to channel his youthful energies into charity and to help the poor and vulnerable in society.

Attah Effah Badu is also part of Share-Your- Lunch, another Facebook youth group which feeds poor children every quarter of the year.

He said one of the major challenges facing the group was financial constraints noting that the composition of the group was mainly students, adding that collecting, washing, packaging and transporting the cloths to the targeted groups require a lot of resources.

He therefore called on individuals and organizations to support this benevolent initiative.

The dresses in the bags

Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/Ghanadistricts.com

Goodnews for Asessewa SHS students

Good news for students in the the Asessewa Senior High School (SHS) in the Upper Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region as work is assiduously on a 500-capacity 3-storey girls dormitory block for the school to see for its completion.

The GHs 26,000.00 worth GETFUND project started about eleven (11) months ago and has already been roofed, plasted and currently being fixed with doors in windows.

 The project, which also has the senior headmistress residence attached, is a major infrastructure boost to the school especially the students.

Headmaster of the school Mr. Samuel Gyabi Yeboah explaining issues to the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Victor Smith during his tour to region dislcoed that a 2 storey boys dormitory commissioned by the President J.E.A Mills last year is currentgly being used as the girls dormitory block while a classroom block and a rented premise has been secured for the boys for the mean time.

He said the school is in so much anticipation for early completion of the project so that all the students can be conveniently housed to ensure proper security and monitoring.

The headmaster’s major concern however has to do with teachers’ accommodation, which he indicated was prohibiting academic work.

He noted that majority of teachers had to stay far away in town and that their proximity to the school would have been an advantage to the students in that they would be willing to do extra for the students.

According to him, the president’s promise to have the situation resolved is yet to be fulfilled and appealed to the Minister to assist the school to get more teachers’ accommodation.

Mr. Smith on his part highly commended the contractor working on the project, Stenkod Construction Limited, for the speedy and quality of work they have delivered so far promising that though their payment is behind schedule government will put up its best to address the issue.

He urged all contractors to emulate Stenkod Construction Limited.

Ghanadistricts.com

Minority to boycott parliament if . . .

The Minority in Parliament has reiterated its displeasure over the Executive’s attitude towords the conduct of parliamentary business and have hinted to boycott parliament should this trend continuous.

According to them, the Executive Arm of Government by its continous absence in parliament to answer questions over some time now showed clearly that it is not serious when it comes to helping Parliament govern the  the state.

The Minority on Wednesday raised the issue on the floor of Parliament when the Minister of Health, Alban Bagbin who was supposed to answer certain question during the early stage of proceedings was absent.
The Minority obviously displeased with the turn of event asked the Speaker of Parliament Joyce Bamford Addo not to allow extended sitting when the Majority side requests so to enable it push Bills before Parliament rises.

The Minority said, if the Executive continued with the trend of absenting itself from parliament, they (minority) will boycott any extended sitting as MPs of both sides will be busily campaigning for their re-election and will not have time for extended sitting.

They said it should not be the business of the Minority to push government business in parliament and that the Majority should up its game and execute its responsibility.

Ghanamps.gov.gh

LAUNCH OF GHANA TOURIST GUIDE BOOK

In spite of the word economic crisis, tourism is seen as one of the fastest growing and sustainable industries in the world. It also provides more than 75 million jobs worldwide.

This came to light at the launch of a maiden book on tourism entitle: Ghana Tourist Guide in Accra today.

The guest speaker of the programme, Hon. Juliana Azumah Mensah, the Minister of Tourism, stated that, it is rewarding for Ghana’s Tourism industry to witness the invasion of private individuals and organization joining forces in a public-private partnership in a bid to promote the tourism industry in the country.

The author of the Tourism Guide book, Miss Rose Agodoa, stated that, the book is to supplement the Tourist Boards efforts and other information materials available in Ghana.

Speaking to GODWIN ALLOTEY after the programme, she however advised the youth of Ghana to stop seeking for greener pastures in foreign lands and focus their attention in promoting tourism in the country.

Allotey Godwin Akweiteh

NEWS JULY 30, 2009

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND THE COPYRIGHT LAW IN GHANA

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Hon. Betty Mould-Iddrisu has urged all media practitioners to credit their sources since the foremost principle in Journalism is attribution and breach of this is punishable by Law.

Hon. Betty Mould made this known in a Symposium organized by the Editors’ Forum, Ghana

(EFG) on the theme: The rights and responsibilities of the media under the Copyright Law.

According to her, copyright is a unique brand of Intellectual Property which is relatively a private right.

In her speech, she emphacised that, the duty of the Journalist is to:

Educate

Inform

And entertain

And that it is unprofessional to dab verbatim from sources and not aknowledging

them and that journalists' should desist from that since it can cause havoc both to him and his employers.

The General Manager of newspapers of Graphic Communications Group and a member of EFG,

Mr. Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh, delivering a paper declared that plagiarism should not be taken for

granted and that even the Ghana Journalist Association’s (GJA) code of ethics has it that,

sources of information should be credited.

Also at the symposium was the Copyright Administrator, Mr. Bernard Bosumprah who also

delivered a paper, saying that, people particularly media practitioners should refrain from using

the works of others as theirs since it can come with a fine not less than GHC. 6000 when found

culpable.