Development

Ex-deputy Energy Minister under the Kufuor regime, K.T. Hammond has accused government of defrauding Ghanaians with the recent 30 per cent hike in fuel prices.

According to him, government is fraudulently charging over GH¢1.00 on each gallon of petrol sold to consumers.

He produced as evidence to the media, a letter signed by the acting boss of the National Petroleum Authority, Alex Mould, asking for the collection and payment of the ex-refinery differential revenue accrued on the sale of the fuel into two separate accounts. (Accounts names withheld).

The June 5, 2009 letter, headlined “REVISION OF DOMESTIC AND EXPORT PETROLEUM PRODUCTS PRICES”, a copy of which was made available to Myjoyonline.com, had the logo of the NPA boldly printed on it, but did not indicate any addressee.

It is referenced DF 181/249/01 and signed by Alex Mould.

The letter further states “In respect of the negative ex-refinery differentials, we should be grateful if you would submit your under-recovery claims accordingly.”

This letter, KT Hammond insists confirms his earlier suspicion of fraud perpetrated by the government on the people.

He did not understand why the then NPP government sold a gallon of petrol at GH¢5.20 when crude oil was selling at the international market at $116 per barrel, but under the NDC government and with an international crude oil price of $69 per barrel, the same gallon of petrol is sold at GH¢5.00.

The missing link, he claimed was in the ex-refinery differential revenue which government sources, he again alleged, have failed to provide answers to.

He said the minority will pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.

A source at the NPA told Myjoyonline.com, the minister will address a press conference on Thursday to respond to the allegations.



Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com

Days after the historic visit of the United States (US) President Barack Obama to Ghana exclusive and unsullied intelligent picked from the Castle, Osu has let slip that almost every arrangement is set for the Mills-led administration to embark on its first reshuffle of certain Ministers and Deputies since it took over the reins of government barely seven months ago.

The first reshuffle, which was originally scheduled to take place exactly six months after assumption of power by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ghanaian Observer (GO) learnt, was suspended due to the US President's recent visit to the country.

However, unassailable information available to GO and corroborated by highly placed sources at the Presidency, indicates that any moment from now, the Presidency will announce the shake up in the various Ministries as well as a particular position at the Presidency.

According to the information, the reshuffle will affect Ministries such as the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration as well as the Ministry of Defence.

The paper reports that the Central Regional Minister, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, will be moving down to Accra to replace the Minster of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr. Stephen K. Amoanor.

Additionally, due to the frequent fracas between the offices of the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr. Mahama Ayariga and Head of Communications, Mr. Koku Ayidoho, the former's office will be "collapsed" for now.

"Well, arrangements are being made for him (Mr. Ayariga) to take up another appointment. So it is not an arrangement to completely get the Presidential Spokesperson out of government. He has contributed largely to shaping up of this administration and therefore he will not be left out just like that," a source said.

With the Information Ministry, there is the high possibility that the current Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, will be moved to the Ministry because of his competence in communication in different languages.

But other key personalities with excellent communications skills within government, GO can report, have are being considered for the same Ministry.

''You know this is one of the strategic Ministries so government is particular about who handles the place. At least, somebody who can effectively and efficiently manage government information will be good for the Ministry. The current Minister is doing well but there is always a better person out there," GO was told.

"She is doing a great job so who knows, she might be doing a fantastic work when taken out of this Ministry to another one."

GO's source revealed that"by this first exercise the NDC government is just trying to re-fix certain personalities into positions which will result in more efficient governance than what we are experiencing now."


Source: Ghanaian Observer

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, in a rare exposé yesterday, denied ever insulting his predecessor, ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, as he offered Ghanaians an insight into the no-love-lost relationship between him and the one-time Air Force pilot.

Former President Kufuor was speaking in an interview on Citi FM when the subject was put forth by his host, Moro Awudu, prompting him to recall how the man with whom he had breakfast during US President Barack Obama’s visit to the country last week, had said nasty things about him on radio stations outside the country.

Former President Kufuor, when reminded about his predecessor’s comments on the BBC some hours before they shared breakfast, replied sarcastically that he did not hear the remarks.

Ex-President Rawlings had earlier spoken on TV3, remarking that he could not tolerate “that guy”, adding later on the BBC that he “would only pretend to smile when we meet”.

“I did not hear the comments. But he was smiling when President Obama asked us to take a group photograph,” former President Kufuor said.

Rawlings, he said, asked that they changed positions because the first shot had him (Kufuor) standing closer to Obama.

“Kufuor, let us change positions, do not upstage me,” Kufuor recalled Rawlings’ comments. Even after the friendly interaction between them, Kufuor said Rawlings was bantering him the next morning.

“There should be mutual respect between the two of us. How often do you hear me talking about him? I am open,” former President Kufuor said, adding, “He has been the longest serving head of state in this country. Not even Nkrumah served that long”.

Former President Kufuor promised that he would always accord his predecessor due acknowledgement and expects reciprocity from him also, as he asked rhetorically, “Ask him whether he is ready to respect me.”

When former President Kufuor was told that his predecessor had charged that he has always said bad things about him (Rawlings), he said, “Ask him who started the process. Once a person, through the people, ascends the highest office of president, you are bound to accord him due respect.”

The Former President spoke about how Mr. Rawlings goes on radio to hurl invectives at him in sentences like “he is incompetent, he is a disgrace and so on.”

He said he does not bear Rawlings any grudge: “People may not believe it,” he said and hoped that “things could be better between us”.

The relationship between the two living former presidents of Ghana has been a subject of discussion and sometimes gossip, in both political circles and outside it for a long time now- a development fueled by the near incessant pouring of invectives by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) founder on his New Patriotic Party (NPP) counterpart.

Prior to the epoch-making Obama trip, Rawlings accused the erstwhile Kufuor regime of being the most corrupt in the country’s history when his opinion about the visit was sought on a BBC world service programme, having a few hours earlier poured similar scorn on his successor.

For those who heard him state that he would only pretend to smile when the two met at the Castle breakfast, pictures which showed them pose for a picture belied the truth about the relationship between them.

Former President Kufuor appealed to Ghanaians to give President John Evans Atta Mills a chance since he is just sixth months into the presidency.

“Don’t let me be judgmental about Mills. He is only 6 months at the presidency. Times are hard,” he said, adding that even the developed economies are in dire economic straits.

“One can understand young economies like ours. We must wait and see his performance.”

The incumbent administration rushed into making political statements, which have been refuted by the international community, he said, explaining that “Ghana is the cynosure of good governance. They cannot deny this. What they have come to find, let them build upon it.”

About his impression on the Obama visit, he said he was happy about it, as he considered as top priority, the fact that “the son of Africa has come to inspire us about the possibility of making a headway when we set out to make achievements”.

With what he considered a marginal difference between the NPP and the NDC during the last polls, he said the former can win the 2012 when certain measures are taken to ensure unity in the party.

On whether he has missed the presidency, he said there is nothing like that having exhausted his two terms.

“I feel fulfilled.”


Source: Daily Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a leading Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged the Mills administration to expedite appointment of the country's political Ambassadors and High Commissioners, as the delay is costing the nation a lot of possible benefits.

According to him, the move had become even more urgent with the successful recent visit of US President Mr Barack Obama to the country.

Dr Spio-Garbrah, who was Ghana's Ambassador to the United States from 1994-97, expressed worry that although the names of some prospective Ambassadorial candidates had appeared in the media, absence of Ghanaian political Ambassadors in such high-profile posts as London and Washington would make it difficult for the Mills government to obtain the fullest benefits out of visits paid by President Mills and a government delegation to London some two months ago, and the recent visit by Mr Obama.

He said contrary to some widely held views that ambassadorial appointments were largely ceremonial positions, they were rather for serious international businesses, and that in the specific case of the United States, "Ghana would be making a sad mistake if it appointed a slow and dull individual for the purpose of pre- or post-retirement relaxation in Washington, or for reasons of loyalty or other compensational reasons".

He said Mr Obama was an energetic, hyperactive, dynamic man with a vision, full of ideas, who wanted to think outside traditional boxes, as such, Ghana should send to Washington an equally vigorous, intellectually alert and action-oriented person such as Mr Obama.

"Mr Obama has come to Ghana, met with the President and the entire political leadership of Ghana as well as traditional, business, religious and civic leadership. Ghana now has a special place in his mind and heart as it had in the hearts of Mr and Mrs Clinton, now Secretary of State, when they visited Ghana in 1998 or Mr Bush when he visited Ghana last year”, Dr spio-Garbrah, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the London-based Commonwealth Telecoms Organisation (CTO), added.

Dr Spio-Garbrah, however, said that unlike Presidents Clinton and Bush who visited Ghana in their last year in office, Mr Obama visited Ghana within six months of being in office, therefore, there was a lot of room and time for Ghana to nurture such relationship to its fullest, whether Mr Obama serves for one term or two.

According to Dr Spio-Garbrah, Mr Obama's speech at the Conference Centre made it quite clear that Ghana would receive strong support from the USA if it continued on the path of democracy, good governance, rule of law and human-centred economic growth. This showed that Mr Obama would like to help Ghana invest in its people and their health.

"If Ghana sends the wrong kind of person as Ambassador to Washington - such as a ‘sleeping Ambassador’ - we would have wasted an opportunity of a lifetime," he cautioned.

Dr Spio-Garbrah made it clear that having already served as an ambassador to the USA, the advice he was offering should not be construed as self-centred as he was not seeking any diplomatic appointment within the Mills administration or even a return to the USA posting.

He noted that he was currently 55-years old and was recommending that the next ambassador of Ghana to the USA should be less than 55 years old and therefore closer to Mr Obama's age.

He noted that there was understandable scepticism in Ghana when in 1994, President Rawlings took him out of a career job at the African Development Bank and sent him to Washington as an Ambassador.

However, according to Spio-Garbrah, because he was not constrained by some traditional structures of bureaucratic behaviour, he was able to think somewhat differently from what a traditional diplomat or political appointee would have thought and acted.

"It was this kind of creativity that enabled me in 1995 to plan a unique visit to eight US cities by President and First Lady Rawlings with an entourage of some 40 people, which helped to lift Ghana's image very high in the United States," Dr Spio-Garbrah said.

He noted that for a good ambassador to succeed, such an individual must have a high degree of sensitivity to the needs and priorities of his own country as well as those of his host country.

He or she must have a great capacity for creativity, innovativeness, intellectual curiosity, a high energy level, and effective and persuasive communications skills.


Source: Daily Graphic

The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) would hold its 29th annual conference from May 17 to 22, 2009 under the theme: “Impact Assessment and Human Well Being” in Ghana.

A statement by the Public Affairs Department of the Environmental Protection Council said the conference is the only international interdisciplinary one that is dedicated to the art and science of impact assessment.

The IAIA was organized in 1980 to bring together researchers, practitioners and users of various types of impact assessment from all over the world and its activities are carried out locally and regionally through its extensive network of affiliates and branches.

The statement said the conference of IAIA provided exclusive mix of high-level speakers representing many areas of expertise and interest and adopted a very participatory approach with numerous in-depth workshops, roundtables, themes, forums and concurrent sessions for participants to actively present their work and ideas.

It also provides access to training, papers, publications, tools techniques and case studies.

The statement said Mr Jonathan A. Allotey, Executive Director of EPA, has been elected President of the IAIA.



Source: GNA

Research conducted by the Centre for Media Analysis (CMA), an Independent International Media Monitoring, Research and Poll Agency on the government’s first 100 days media projection revealed a 67% negative ratings.

The government also scored 23% positive projection and 10% neutral, reflecting comments about the government, policies and activities.

The objective of this research is to measure the public perception of the presidency and its first hundred days in government through the Media.

Centre for Media Analysis considers the government image as a cohesive force in national development and as an international collateral security and therefore the tendency to influence and affect its relations with the citizenry.

The research result therefore shows that the government communications machinery could not sustain and project the ‘president’s own 80 percent rating of his 100 days gains’ positively.

We however want to state that this research is not aimed at critiquing the government’s communications team but to contribute to the successful management of the government’s media image for a positive local and international outlook.

The Centre recommends that Government’s communication machinery should evolve and sustain government’s communication agenda to encourage public confidence since the image of a government is directly linked to investor confidence level across the globe.

The 67% negative should not be used as an absolute tag around the government, rather as a pointer in managing public expectations.

We also recommend to government’s communication team to develop effective mechanism to monitor the government’s media projection for a successful media relation and national development.

CMA would also want to recommend to the media and Ghanaians as a whole to exercise patience and afford newly elected governments more than the 100 days to assess their performance.

We also commend the media for its watch dog role and their critical highlights of the events that characterized the period of the first 100 days of the government’s administration.

Finally, CMA encourages future governments to avoid the events which led to the 67% negative rating of the government’s first 100 days.

NEWSPAPERS MONITORED:

The Ghanaian Times, The Spectator, The Mirror, Daily Graphic, The Mail, Business & Financial Times, Business Week Africa, The Chronicle, The New Crusading Guide, The Crystal Clear Lens, The Daily Dispatch, The Daily Express, Daily Guide, The Daily Searchlight, The Enquirer, Free Press, The Ghanaian Lens, The Ghanaian Observer, Gye Nyame Concord, The Heritage, The Independent, The Insight, National Democrat, Public Agenda, The Statesman, The Catalyst, The Ghanaian Voice, The Daily Democrat, The Moment, The New Punch, Ghana Palaver, The Sun, The Vanguard, The Ghanaian Democrat, National Focus, Free Expression, Graphic Business, The Citizen, Sunday World, Graphic Nsempa, National Trust, Financial Intelligence, National Trust, Home News, The Informer, Today, National Focus, Public Concern, Patriot, The Evening Tribune


Cresdit: Dr. Messan Mawugbe
Executive Director
Centre for Media Analysis

Mr Albert Abongo, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the government of India for contributing to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

“India has contributed significantly to Ghana’s economic growth in the areas of equipment for water supply, ICT, education and rural electrification”, he said when the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms Ruchi Ghanashyam, paid a courtesy call on him.

Mr Abongo said Ghana would continue to learn from such countries in it development agenda.

“India has made giant strides in water and sanitation and Ghana is bent on tapping the experiences to enable it to realize its rural water supply goals.”

Ms Ghanashyam said Indian and Ghana are not strangers to each other and that India and would continue to assist Ghana.

She appealed to the minister to urgently rehabilitate the UNPD Diplomatic Flats to enable diplomats to enjoy their stay in Ghana.


Source: GNA

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group, on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction about the way and manner in which diplomatic privileges accorded the Africa Legal Aid, an international organisation with headquarters in Accra, was terminated.

“It is regrettable that in spite of our complaints against Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has not departed from his arbitrary ways upon being approved by Parliament as a Minister for Foreign Affairs,” Mr Kwabena Bomfeh, Spokesperson for AFAG, said at a press conference in Accra.

He noted that the conduct was a violation of due process and against the rule of law.

“If Alhaji Mumuni can, without providing any reason whatsoever, terminate the entire agreement between the government of Ghana and an international human rights agency, then one shudders to think of the extent to which he can abuse his powers as foreign minister in the nation’s relations with other international organizations.”

Mr Bomfeh said the terms of reference for the agency’s diplomatic privileges in the agreement stated that any dispute between the parties shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with Act 38 under the Arbitration Act of 1961.

“It is pertinent to note that no dispute had occurred between the government of Ghana and Africa Legal Aid to warrant the termination of the provisions of the agreement,” he added.

Mr Bomfeh said the action by the Foreign Minister was a blatant disregard for mandatory provisions of the agreement and called on him as a matter of urgency to resign.


Source: GNA

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) has expressed worry about the delays in the completion of projects and the shoddy work done by some contractors for public basic schools in the region.

Mr Francis Boateng, Regional Coordinating Director warned that the Council intended to meet with the contractors to review and if necessary terminate the work of those who had not completed their work as scheduled.

He was speaking at the close of the Regional Education Review Meeting of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Sunyani.

Mr Boateng warned that contractors whose work would be terminated would not benefit from any contracts from the RCC and would be exposed to the general public.

The three-day meeting was attended by 153 participants made up of municipal and district directors of education, unit managers, heads of schools and girls education coordinators.

Mr Boateng said the RCC was pursuing a number of projects to help improve the infrastructural base of public basic schools and that lack of proper and continuous monitoring of contractors had affected the pace of the projects.

He said the RCC was spending huge sums of money to furnish the schools with adequate teaching and learning materials and had also decided to provide incentive packages to teachers serving in deprived communities.

The Regional Coordinating Director explained that apart from the acquisition of knowledge, education also helped unearth and harness talents that guaranteed quality human resource base needed for nation building.

Mr Boateng appealed to Non Governmental Organisations and philanthropists to contribute meaningfully towards effective teaching and learning in schools.

Mr Asamoah Doudu, Director of Technical Education of GES explained that the draft education strategic plan covered the period of 2010-2020 and took cognizance of the Acts, policies, reviews and papers of national, regional and district importance.

He said under the draft, a sub-sector approach had been adopted in order to reflect the actual structure of the education system.

Mr Doudu said through policy commitment for pre-tertiary, the government intended to motivate parents and learners through abolition of fees and provision of uniforms to at least 1.6 million needy children among other things.

The government would also provide teaching incentives through special allowances for mathematics, science, technical and vocational teachers.

The participants mentioned the lack of trained teachers and poor roads, which hindered effective supervision and monitoring, as some of the challenges they faced.



Source: GNA

President John Evans Atta Mills has called on Ghanaians to assist government in eradicating child slavery and trafficking in the country.

He said a lot of work had been done to promote children’s rights by human rights agencies and organizations, grassroots groups, media, educators, global leaders and youth groups but more needed to be done to enforce children’s rights in the country.

President Mills made the call in a speech read on his behalf in Kumasi on Monday at the eighth annual Easter school for children.

The event, which was organized by Child Rights International, a non-governmental 0rganization (NGO), and sponsored by UNICEF, UNHCR and Stanbic Bank, attracted children from nine African countries.

Speaking under the theme: “Growing Child Participation through Service Learning”, the President said children were easy targets of exploitation because they were dependent on adults and social institutions for their development and usually unaware of their rights and unable to voice their concerns.

He explained that they were forced to work in factories, backrooms, on the street and in sex trade while others were even sold as slaves or drafted to fight in wars.

President Mills said violation of children’s rights was pervasive throughout many countries and fuelled struggling economies and that exploitation of children was not restricted to the public sphere.

He said that maltreatments against children where in their own homes, where high percentage of abuse including sexual, physical, emotional or psychological took place.

In an address read on her behalf, the Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC), Madam Akua Sena Dansua said the concept of child participation in services was basic to modern day governance that sought to ensure the protection and dignity of children.

She stated that a significant way of growing child participation was through service learning that was to promote the participation of the children in services in their communities.

“Helping Children to better understand the concept of child rights, training students to become child rights activist and advocates when they find themselves in leadership positions in future will be meaningless if we do not engage them in decisions that directly affect them today,” Madame Dansua said.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, in an address read for him, promised that chiefs would assist in eliminating any impediment to child participation in national development.

He emphasized that children are the future managers of the country and they should be properly developed.

Mr. Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child Rights International, Ghana, explained that the Easter school for children provided a platform for them to discuss and share their understanding, thinking and to make suggestions to national issues.

“It is part of our work plan for the year to help materialize the child protection policies of government and international partners such as UNICEF and PLAN Ghana” he said.
Mr. Appiah appealed to the government and other stakeholders to help interpret the law on child labour, adoption, maintenance and rehabilitation of children and when they are in contact with the law.


Source: GNA

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra Monday night for the United States of America and Germany to attend separate high-level meetings on reform of the World Bank and improvement in land administration in Africa.

A statement signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Spokesperson of the former President, said Mr Kufuor's first stop will be in Washington DC where he will attend the first meeting of a 12-member high-level Commission set up this year for the modernization of the World Bank.

The Commission, headed by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, is charged with making recommendations to the Bank's President Robert Zoellick on how the institution is governed so that it can better fulfill its mission of overcoming global poverty.

Other members are Mrs. Sadata Ogata, President of Japanese International Cooperation and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor of the People's Bank of China and Mr Pascal Lamay, Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Former President Kufuor will continue to Berlin, Germany on April 26 for the 2009 African Presidential Roundtable which will focus on 'Leadership Challenges of Land Reform in Africa.'

The forum is being organized by the African Presidential Archives and Research Centre at Boston University, USA. It is an initiative for former democratically elected leaders of Africa to share their ideas and experiences with a global audience.

Former President Kufuor will be hosted to a luncheon by German President Horst Kohler during the visit. He will be away for about 10 days.



Source: GNA

The Apam District Head of the Church of Pentecost, Pastor Williams Ofori-Attah, has appealed to Ghanaians to be moderate in their lifestyles so as to support government’s effort towards reducing poverty.

In his sermon to climax a four-day convention of the Winneba zone of the church at Mumford, the pastor said, the lifestyles of some Ghanaians do not suggest that they were poor.

Pastor Ofori-Atta expressed concern about the sense of attachment people gave to the dead at the expense of the living and noted that if such level of attention were given them (the dead) when they were alive, most of them would not have died.

He appealed to clan and family heads to desist from demanding so much from bereaved children as to how the funeral should be organised.

“Children of the dead must not be compelled to do things which their resources cannot meet,” Pastor Ofori Attah said.

He questioned the practice where some families demand various items such as toilet soaps, powders, pomades towels, and blankets from bereaved children and in-laws just for bathing the dead body.

“How can the people of a nation, which is fighting to reduce poverty, continue to dissipate valuable resources on funerals,” the pastor asked.

He called on Churches and child rights organisations to come to the aid of such children, who were forced by family heads to incur unnecessary debts after they lost their parents.

Pastor Ofori-Attah admonished Christians to pray at all times to enable them to overcome temptations saying “our body and society are the greatest enemies which hinder our spiritual developments,” he said.

Mr Francis Kojo Arthur, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West appealed to Ghanaians to be united by burying their political differences to build a better nation.

He assured the church of his support at all times.


Source: GNA

Calls on the media to use space and airtime to promote development communication are increasing.

Stakeholders in society have always used their turn on the pulpit at any function to preach such a sermon.

Mr Anthony Kweku Tackie-Otoo, Assembly Member for Akyemfo Electoral Area of Gomoa West District has also added voice to chorus of calls for the media to focus on developmental issues.

“Use air time and space to promote development,” he said.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Apam, Mr Tackie-Otoo said there were lots of pertinent issues, which concern society and need to be brought to the attention of the government that the media ought to do.

“Some schools are in deplorable state, people have no water to drink, food staffs are getting rotten on farms because of bad roads and many more are calling for the attention of the government, which the media must focus on,” he noted.

He said the media would fail the nation as the fourth realm of governance, if it continued to spend quality air time and space for weeks and months discussing what some one has said or done.

“It is important to hold public office holders accountable but if it is done at the expense of development then it may not help the nation,” he said.

Mr Tackie-Otoo, who is also the Chairman of the Mumford branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), appealed to Ghanaians to have patient with President Mills’ administration since things done in a rush mostly never ended well.

“The president has a four-year term of office so we need not rush him.

“Ghanaians must bear in mind that they are all travelling in one vehicle with the President as the driver and if they compelled him to drive faster than normal, the vehicle can get involve in an accident,” he said.


Source: GNA

The Ministry of Communications is undertaking a number of projects to generate high paying jobs in the ICT industry within four years.

The effort forms part of the commitment of the ministry to work in conjunction with the Ghana Association of Software and Information Technology Service Companies (GASSCOM) to create 10,000 high paying jobs in the ICT industry.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, who announced this at a workshop organised by GASSCOM in Accra said the ministry was pursuing the development of business process outsourcing in the ICT industry as part of the initiative towards the realisation of creating more jobs.

The workshop was intended to expose the potentials of information technology in the country.

Mr Haruna said Ghana had both the human and natural resources to become a major outsourcing destination in Africa.

He added that another project being pursued was the establishment of the Directorate of the IT-Enabled Services at the Ministry of Communications, which was necessary to provide the essential assistance to the ICT industry and nurture it into a well-resourced and active player in the economy.

Mr Haruna said the national communication backbone transmission network would also be linked up with those of neighbouring countries by the end of the year.

To that end, the minister said the Ministry of Communications and technical teams from Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger would be attending a conference in Accra in June to assess progress made by respective countries towards the realisation of the link-up project.

To overcome the problem of high real estate-charges for ICT businesses, the minister said the government was pursuing the programme to establish technology parks with sufficient infrastructure to assist ICT businesses seeking to do business in the country.

Mr Haruna said every effort was being made to ensure that the broadband project was rapidly deployed throughout the country for Internet services, by extending the optic fibre to cover all the district capitals.

He said sufficient arrangements had been made to secure a more favourable pricing for bandwidth that would particularly address the concerns of the outsourcing industry in the country.

Mr Kofi Bentil, a representative of GASSCOM said the public and civil service in the country stood the chance of offering the improved services as well as reduced cost for undertaking business in the country, through the outsourcing of jobs from abroad.

Mr Bentil said in the long run the country could attract jobs from outside to help improve the economy by providing high paying jobs.


Source: Daily Graphic

About 55 African nationals including 22 Ghanaians are languishing in a Maximum Security Prison at Arouca in Trinidad and Tobago.

Some of the Ghanaian inmates who spoke to Daily Guide on phone from the prison alleged that though they have not been charged with any offence, they are being kept behind bars illegally for years, while prison officials prevent them from seeking legal counsel.

The inmates alleged further that some of them have long completed their jail-terms but are still being detained and made to engage in hard labour together with fresh prisoners.

They explained that though prisoners are not allowed to have phones on them, one of the officials, rather sympathetic to their plight, permits them to use his phone under an agreement that his identity would not be exposed.

The prisoners hinted that there are other Ghanaian and African inmates serving various terms in other prisons outside Arouca.

Asked how they landed in a foreign jail, the prisoners confessed that some of them journeyed to the Caribbean Island as a transit point to Europe and the United States while others went to Trinidad specifically in search of greener pastures.

They explained that on reaching Trinidad, some of them got employment, but they were soon arrested, thrown behind bars almost immediately and asked to explain their immigration status; but have since been left to languish in jail.

The Island of Trinidad and Tobago has a population below 1.5 million with a large reserve of oil and gas and is rated as one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean.

The country is inhabited mostly by people of African and Indian descent and it enjoys a per capita income well above the average for Latin America.

Many West Africans migrate to the country and the Caribbean in general but mostly through illegal means, either to work there or use the country as a transit route to the United States.

In April last year, the Ghana government rescued about 150 Ghanaians and Nigerians who got stranded in Barbados, another Caribbean country, for close to two months; though they were supposed to be tourists.

They were sent there by the Ghana International Airlines (GIA) in collaboration with Season’s Travel and Tours, the Chaterer, but could not return to Ghana as planned due to a difference in position between the Charterer and the authorities in Barbados.

At the time, the Ministry of Transport, Works and International Transport told the media it received an e-mailed application dated January 17, 2008 from GIA in association with Seasons Tours and Travel to permit a charter tour operation into Barbados on January 20, 2008 and depart the next day.

However, having received the application, it queried the actual period of the tour since no return date had been given.

The returnees were flown into the country aboard a Miami International Airliner, Boeing 737-800 Aircraft. To enable them reach their families, they were each given travel and transport allowances ranging from GH¢10 to GH¢25 depending on the distance of the returnee’s home district from Accra.



Source: Daily Guide