Story: Michael Donkor
The chiefs, elders and youth of Lerwem, a farming community in Ningo near Accra, have protested against the acquisition of large tracts of their land by the Queens Atlantic Resort, a private estate developer, for development into residential and tourist facilities.
They, therefore, vowed to resist any attempt by the private developer to develop 171 acres acquired from Nene Kanor Atiapah III, the Mankralo of Ningo Traditional Area and acting president of the area.
However, the company insists that it genuinely acquired the land for the purpose intended.
According to the chief of Lerwem, Nene Agortey Teffah II, the people inherited the farmland from their forefathers and they had been farming on it to earn a living.
He said their farms and the only cemetery where they bury their relatives, were being destroyed by the developer.
Briefing the Daily Graphic about their predicament, the spokesman for the Lerwem Stool, Mr Tafa Ahadie, said about a year ago they saw pillars being erected on their farmlands and they reported the development to the chief.
He said the chief said he knew nothing about the move and ordered that the pillars be removed, which they did.
Mr Ahadie said later Nene Atiapah came to them and said he had allocated the land to a private developer for development.
Although they kicked against the idea, they saw bulldozers on their land destroying their farms.
Mr Ahadie said they subsequently petitioned the Ningo-Prampram police to intervene to forestall any bloodshed but that did not yield any results only for the developer to deploy land guards at the site to terrorise them anytime they went to farm.
But when Nene Atiapah was contacted, he denied that he clandestinely sold the land. Rather, he said, the land was sold based on the consent of the 14 family heads making up the clan and showed documents bearing the signatures of all the 14 family heads to the Daily Graphic.
He claimed that some people from Lerwem sold portions of the land to a developer for GH¢17,000, a move he kicked against because the due process of land acquisition was not followed.
In view of his position on the sale of the portion of the land, Nene Atiapah said some of the people also decided to create problems for the Queens Atlantic Resort who had acquired large portions of the land for investment.
He said those whose farms were destroyed had been compensated and when the issue of the cemetery came to him, he quickly resolved the problem by ensuring that that portion of the land was not affected by the development initiated by the Queens Atlantic Resort .
He, therefore, expressed surprise at the behaviour of the people of Lerwem.
When the private developer, Queen Irene Cole, was contacted, she showed video footings of all the transactions she had with the 14 family heads in connection with the land.
She produced documents which gave her title to the land in dispute and added that she had paid the owners of the land.
She said what was left for her to pay to Nene Atiapah would be effected after she had developed the land in accordance with the sales agreement.
Queen Cole said she would resist any attempt by anybody to take the land from her, since she went through the right procedure to acquire it.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Japan supports Ghana with US$16.5m grant (August 15, 2009)
Story: Michael Donkor
THE Japanese government has made available a grant of $16.5 million to support the government’s development projects.
Six million dollars of the grant is to be used to support basic education in deprived areas while the remaining will be used to open a lending facility on very soft terms for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to import production equipment, individual goods and raw materials.
Consequently, a memorandum of understanding to that effect has been signed by the two governments.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, signed on behalf of Ghana, while the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Keiichi Katakami, signed on behalf of his government.
In a brief statement after signing the document, Mr Katakami noted that private sector development was one of the key challenging issues facing Ghana’s social and economic development.
He said though there had been progress on improving the business environment for the private sector in the country, the difficulties still remained for the SMEs to acquire the necessary inputs for their growth and competitiveness.
It was in view of this, he said, that the Japanese government had decided to channel more resources to support the government.
Mr Katakami expressed the hope that the grant would contribute to the strengthening of industrial development from the grass-roots level in the country.
He said the grant to support the rural educational sector would be used to provide classroom buildings, teachers’ accommodation, toilet facilities and furniture in 21 schools in the Northern Region and 16 schools in the Central Region.
Alhaji Mumuni thanked the Japanese government for the support and gave the assurance that the money would be used for its intended purpose.
He said the gesture was a demonstration of the Government of Japan’s commitment to partner Ghana to make the private sector the engine of growth of the economy.
The minister indicated that the machinery, equipment and other materials to be purchased under this facility would be procured on hire purchase basis upon request from the SMEs and all re-imbursements made would be deposited into an account with the Bank of Ghana.
THE Japanese government has made available a grant of $16.5 million to support the government’s development projects.
Six million dollars of the grant is to be used to support basic education in deprived areas while the remaining will be used to open a lending facility on very soft terms for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to import production equipment, individual goods and raw materials.
Consequently, a memorandum of understanding to that effect has been signed by the two governments.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, signed on behalf of Ghana, while the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Keiichi Katakami, signed on behalf of his government.
In a brief statement after signing the document, Mr Katakami noted that private sector development was one of the key challenging issues facing Ghana’s social and economic development.
He said though there had been progress on improving the business environment for the private sector in the country, the difficulties still remained for the SMEs to acquire the necessary inputs for their growth and competitiveness.
It was in view of this, he said, that the Japanese government had decided to channel more resources to support the government.
Mr Katakami expressed the hope that the grant would contribute to the strengthening of industrial development from the grass-roots level in the country.
He said the grant to support the rural educational sector would be used to provide classroom buildings, teachers’ accommodation, toilet facilities and furniture in 21 schools in the Northern Region and 16 schools in the Central Region.
Alhaji Mumuni thanked the Japanese government for the support and gave the assurance that the money would be used for its intended purpose.
He said the gesture was a demonstration of the Government of Japan’s commitment to partner Ghana to make the private sector the engine of growth of the economy.
The minister indicated that the machinery, equipment and other materials to be purchased under this facility would be procured on hire purchase basis upon request from the SMEs and all re-imbursements made would be deposited into an account with the Bank of Ghana.
"Demonstrate High Ethical Standards" Veep urges Ghana Armed Forces August 15, 2009
Story Michael Donkor
THE Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has called on the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to demonstrate high ethical standards and act with greater restraint even in the face of provocation.
He said the growing popularity of democracy as a preferred model of governance was a challenge to the Armed Forces of many developing nations, including Ghana, hence the need to act responsibly.
The Vice-President made the call at a graduation ceremony of some senior officers at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFSC) in Accra yesterday.
Fifty nine officers from the Armed Forces of 16 African countries graduated.
The countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo.
The others are Botswana, Congo Brazzaville, La Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
The course is aimed at developing the analytical and communication skills of officers.
Mr Mahama said democracy carried with it the responsibility of openness, transparency, accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
In this connection, he said, the conduct of military operations, including training, became increasingly challenging and subject to universal and domestic rules of engagement, human rights and the rule of law.
Mr Mahama, therefore, urged the military to keep abreast of the challenges of the time and seek to justify its existence by proactively evolving strategies to professionally meet these challenges.
He urged the Military High Command to endeavour to pre-empt undesirable situations and come up with appropriate strategies to tackle them.
Mr Mahama assured the GAF of the government’s commitment to mitigate the effects of the withdrawal of the British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT).
He said the government was working towards more permanent solutions to the challenges arising as a result of the withdrawal.
Mr Mahama said as a short-term solution, being a tertiary institution, the government intended to fill the funding gap by allowing the GETFund to make provision for some logistical requirements of the college.
He said as a start the GETFund was to provide the college with a new bus to cater for the transport requirements of the students who had to shuttle to other campuses for lessons.
The Commandant of the college, Major-General K. Yankson, appealed to the government to adequately equip and improve upon the facilities of the college.
He said admission to the college continued to increase year after year with many countries in Africa seeking for a place for their armed forces.
He appealed to philanthropists and corporate institutions to also come to the aid of the college.
Major W.A. Kwabiah of the GAF was adjudged the overall best student followed by Squadron Leader Ni Ilo of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
For their prizes Major Kwabiah took away a laptop, a book and a trophy while Squadron Leader Ilo had a book, a trophy and GH¢400.00.
THE Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has called on the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to demonstrate high ethical standards and act with greater restraint even in the face of provocation.
He said the growing popularity of democracy as a preferred model of governance was a challenge to the Armed Forces of many developing nations, including Ghana, hence the need to act responsibly.
The Vice-President made the call at a graduation ceremony of some senior officers at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFSC) in Accra yesterday.
Fifty nine officers from the Armed Forces of 16 African countries graduated.
The countries are Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo.
The others are Botswana, Congo Brazzaville, La Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
The course is aimed at developing the analytical and communication skills of officers.
Mr Mahama said democracy carried with it the responsibility of openness, transparency, accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law.
In this connection, he said, the conduct of military operations, including training, became increasingly challenging and subject to universal and domestic rules of engagement, human rights and the rule of law.
Mr Mahama, therefore, urged the military to keep abreast of the challenges of the time and seek to justify its existence by proactively evolving strategies to professionally meet these challenges.
He urged the Military High Command to endeavour to pre-empt undesirable situations and come up with appropriate strategies to tackle them.
Mr Mahama assured the GAF of the government’s commitment to mitigate the effects of the withdrawal of the British Military Assistance Training Team (BMATT).
He said the government was working towards more permanent solutions to the challenges arising as a result of the withdrawal.
Mr Mahama said as a short-term solution, being a tertiary institution, the government intended to fill the funding gap by allowing the GETFund to make provision for some logistical requirements of the college.
He said as a start the GETFund was to provide the college with a new bus to cater for the transport requirements of the students who had to shuttle to other campuses for lessons.
The Commandant of the college, Major-General K. Yankson, appealed to the government to adequately equip and improve upon the facilities of the college.
He said admission to the college continued to increase year after year with many countries in Africa seeking for a place for their armed forces.
He appealed to philanthropists and corporate institutions to also come to the aid of the college.
Major W.A. Kwabiah of the GAF was adjudged the overall best student followed by Squadron Leader Ni Ilo of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
For their prizes Major Kwabiah took away a laptop, a book and a trophy while Squadron Leader Ilo had a book, a trophy and GH¢400.00.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
New task force to check illegal mining, logging (July 4, 2009)
Story: Michael Donkor
AN inter-agency security committee has been set up by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to check illegal chainsaw and mining operations in the country.
The 10-member committee is chaired by the Deputy Director-General in charge of Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. D.K. Mitsio.
Other members of the committee include the Director-General in charge of Police Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr John Kudalor; Lt. Col. Kodjo Awity of the GAF; Lt. Col. J. Hagan, Army Headquarters; Mr C.N.A. Akrong, Bureau of National Investigations; Mr D.K. Glover, National Security Council; Mr Benjamin Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Lands Commission; Mr Alex A. Boadu, Forestry Commission, and Mr G. Omane-Brimpong, National Security Council.
Inaugurating the committee, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, said the move had become necessary in order to address the alarming rate at which the country’s forests were being depleted by illegal chainsaw operators.
He said since the Forestry Task Force was suspended in December, last year, the country’s forests had been depleted and illegal mining operations had assumed a sophisticated level.
He appealed to saw millers to put 20 per cent of their products on the domestic market, as required by law.
Col. Mitsio, on behalf of the committee, gave the assurance that they would work to achieve the set objectives as well as justify the confidence reposed in them.
AN inter-agency security committee has been set up by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to check illegal chainsaw and mining operations in the country.
The 10-member committee is chaired by the Deputy Director-General in charge of Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Col. D.K. Mitsio.
Other members of the committee include the Director-General in charge of Police Operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr John Kudalor; Lt. Col. Kodjo Awity of the GAF; Lt. Col. J. Hagan, Army Headquarters; Mr C.N.A. Akrong, Bureau of National Investigations; Mr D.K. Glover, National Security Council; Mr Benjamin Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Lands Commission; Mr Alex A. Boadu, Forestry Commission, and Mr G. Omane-Brimpong, National Security Council.
Inaugurating the committee, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, said the move had become necessary in order to address the alarming rate at which the country’s forests were being depleted by illegal chainsaw operators.
He said since the Forestry Task Force was suspended in December, last year, the country’s forests had been depleted and illegal mining operations had assumed a sophisticated level.
He appealed to saw millers to put 20 per cent of their products on the domestic market, as required by law.
Col. Mitsio, on behalf of the committee, gave the assurance that they would work to achieve the set objectives as well as justify the confidence reposed in them.
Fuel Shortage Hits Accra(July 9, 2009)
Story: Michael Donkor
THERE has been a shortage of fuel in the Accra Metropolitan Area since last Monday.
This has resulted in some commercial drivers parking their vehicles, since they cannot get petrol or diesel to operate.
A visit to a number of filling stations in Accra yesterday by this reporter saw fuel attendants hanging around and only informing motorists who called at their stations that there was a shortage of fuel.
Among the stations visited were the Goil filling station near the Ghana Commercial Bank at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, So Fresh Station near the Glenns Nite Club at Adabraka, Goil station near the Trust Bank at Adabraka, the Total station near Avenue Club at the Farrar Avenue, the Mobil station near the Cedi House at Accra, and the Goil station near the Nima Roundabout.
Speaking to the Graphic in an interview at the various filling stations, the fuel attendants said they did not receive any supplies since last Saturday.
They said the little that they received had been exhausted since last Monday and they were waiting for more supply of the products.
They, however, could not give any concrete reason why there was that much shortage on the market.
At the Goil filling station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a fuel attendant, Olivia Azuma, said they had been idling since last Saturday.
At So Fresh filling station, Ernest Gyamfi said they also had run out of fuel since Monday and were thus waiting patiently for the next supply to sell to the public.
Asked whether the station was among those that took supplies from oil marketing companies that were indebted to the Tema Oil Refinery, he responded in the affirmative.
The situation was not different at the other stations which had the inscription “No Petrol” boldly written on their small boards placed on the pumping machines.
The Public Relations Officer of TOR, Mrs Aba Lokko, earlier told the Daily Graphic that TOR had cut off fuel supplies to 11 Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for their indebtedness to the organisation since 2008.
She said the OMCs bought fuel from TOR for onward supply to petrol filling stations and the withdrawal of the supply to the 11 out of 56 OMCs operating in the country, resulting in a brief fuel shortage in some parts of the country.
She said the cutting down of the fuel supply was part of efforts to retrieve the moneys from the defaulting OMCs.
Mrs Lokko said TOR would not restore fuel supply to the affected companies, if they did not settle their debts.
THERE has been a shortage of fuel in the Accra Metropolitan Area since last Monday.
This has resulted in some commercial drivers parking their vehicles, since they cannot get petrol or diesel to operate.
A visit to a number of filling stations in Accra yesterday by this reporter saw fuel attendants hanging around and only informing motorists who called at their stations that there was a shortage of fuel.
Among the stations visited were the Goil filling station near the Ghana Commercial Bank at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, So Fresh Station near the Glenns Nite Club at Adabraka, Goil station near the Trust Bank at Adabraka, the Total station near Avenue Club at the Farrar Avenue, the Mobil station near the Cedi House at Accra, and the Goil station near the Nima Roundabout.
Speaking to the Graphic in an interview at the various filling stations, the fuel attendants said they did not receive any supplies since last Saturday.
They said the little that they received had been exhausted since last Monday and they were waiting for more supply of the products.
They, however, could not give any concrete reason why there was that much shortage on the market.
At the Goil filling station at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, a fuel attendant, Olivia Azuma, said they had been idling since last Saturday.
At So Fresh filling station, Ernest Gyamfi said they also had run out of fuel since Monday and were thus waiting patiently for the next supply to sell to the public.
Asked whether the station was among those that took supplies from oil marketing companies that were indebted to the Tema Oil Refinery, he responded in the affirmative.
The situation was not different at the other stations which had the inscription “No Petrol” boldly written on their small boards placed on the pumping machines.
The Public Relations Officer of TOR, Mrs Aba Lokko, earlier told the Daily Graphic that TOR had cut off fuel supplies to 11 Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for their indebtedness to the organisation since 2008.
She said the OMCs bought fuel from TOR for onward supply to petrol filling stations and the withdrawal of the supply to the 11 out of 56 OMCs operating in the country, resulting in a brief fuel shortage in some parts of the country.
She said the cutting down of the fuel supply was part of efforts to retrieve the moneys from the defaulting OMCs.
Mrs Lokko said TOR would not restore fuel supply to the affected companies, if they did not settle their debts.
Businesses within Airport City to be closed down(Front Page) July 8, 2009
Story: Michael Donkor
ALL businesses and offices located within the Airport City in Accra will be closed to the public from Friday evening, when US President Barack Obama arrives in the country, till Saturday, when he departs.
Additionally, flights to the Kotoka International Airport would be temporarily suspended on Friday evening and just before President Obama’s departure on Saturday.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), said the moves formed part of security measures that had been put in place for the visit of President Obama.
He, however, assured the general public that adequate measures were in place to ensure their convenience during the US President’s stay in Ghana.
Part of the Vision 2020 plan of the government, the Airport City forms part of the gateway programme, with a number of hotels built there to accommodate businessmen and investors who visit the country.
The Airport City project is also one of the many projects that the government wants to embark on to enhance the development of the Accra-Tema area.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as the landowners are supposed to execute the 'Airport City' Complex and develop hospitality facilities including hotels, shopping malls, offices, parking areas and recreational areas on the 40-acre space.
Lt. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey explained that the closeness of the Airport City to the aviation wing of the KIA made it a security zone and that it was important to temporarily halt commercial activities there till President Obama comes and leaves the country.
ALL businesses and offices located within the Airport City in Accra will be closed to the public from Friday evening, when US President Barack Obama arrives in the country, till Saturday, when he departs.
Additionally, flights to the Kotoka International Airport would be temporarily suspended on Friday evening and just before President Obama’s departure on Saturday.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, the National Security Co-ordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), said the moves formed part of security measures that had been put in place for the visit of President Obama.
He, however, assured the general public that adequate measures were in place to ensure their convenience during the US President’s stay in Ghana.
Part of the Vision 2020 plan of the government, the Airport City forms part of the gateway programme, with a number of hotels built there to accommodate businessmen and investors who visit the country.
The Airport City project is also one of the many projects that the government wants to embark on to enhance the development of the Accra-Tema area.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) as the landowners are supposed to execute the 'Airport City' Complex and develop hospitality facilities including hotels, shopping malls, offices, parking areas and recreational areas on the 40-acre space.
Lt. Col. Gbevlo-Lartey explained that the closeness of the Airport City to the aviation wing of the KIA made it a security zone and that it was important to temporarily halt commercial activities there till President Obama comes and leaves the country.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Armed robbers ambush patrol team(June 27, 2009)
Story:Michael Donkor
A GANG of heavily armed robbers yesterday escaped with a military vehicle after they had ambushed some soldiers on an administrative duties between Takoradi and Obuasi.
The robbers later abandoned the vehicle on the outskirts of Obuasi.
Military sources said the soldiers on board the vehicle were on administrative check of armouries in the Central Western and Ashanti Regions when they were ambushed by the armed robbers.
The soldiers had concluded the inspection of the armouries in the Central and Western Regions and were on their way to the Ashanti Region when they were ambushed by the heavily armed robbers.
When the Director of the Ghana Armed Forces Public Relations, Col. E.W.K. Nibo, was contacted, he confirmed the story.
Other sources at the Military Police told the Daily Graphic that there were no arms on the vehicle that was seized by the armed robbers. The sources said that as soon as the news of the robbery got to them at dawn yesterday, personnel from the Military Police joined some infantry men from Accra to cordon off the crime scene and search other areas for the vehicle.
The sources said the robbers, who numbered about 10, wore masks and were armed with heavy offensive weapons and as the vehicle approached, they crossed the road, bringing the military vehicle to a stop, after which they attacked the soldiers in the vehicle, held them hostage and took the vehicle away.
None of the military personnel sustained any injury.
The source said investigations had been instituted into the circumstances of the robbery.
A GANG of heavily armed robbers yesterday escaped with a military vehicle after they had ambushed some soldiers on an administrative duties between Takoradi and Obuasi.
The robbers later abandoned the vehicle on the outskirts of Obuasi.
Military sources said the soldiers on board the vehicle were on administrative check of armouries in the Central Western and Ashanti Regions when they were ambushed by the armed robbers.
The soldiers had concluded the inspection of the armouries in the Central and Western Regions and were on their way to the Ashanti Region when they were ambushed by the heavily armed robbers.
When the Director of the Ghana Armed Forces Public Relations, Col. E.W.K. Nibo, was contacted, he confirmed the story.
Other sources at the Military Police told the Daily Graphic that there were no arms on the vehicle that was seized by the armed robbers. The sources said that as soon as the news of the robbery got to them at dawn yesterday, personnel from the Military Police joined some infantry men from Accra to cordon off the crime scene and search other areas for the vehicle.
The sources said the robbers, who numbered about 10, wore masks and were armed with heavy offensive weapons and as the vehicle approached, they crossed the road, bringing the military vehicle to a stop, after which they attacked the soldiers in the vehicle, held them hostage and took the vehicle away.
None of the military personnel sustained any injury.
The source said investigations had been instituted into the circumstances of the robbery.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)