Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - The winning numbers of the Lucky Tuesday Lotto draw held in Accra were, 12-38-40-81 and 34, according to a bulletin of the National Lottery Authority.   GNA...

Juapong (V/R), Nov. 14, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will build a new economy when voted into office come December 7, 2012, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, running mate for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the Party has said.        He said such a new economy would be centred on petro-chemical industries and agro-processing to create jobs for the country’s teaming unemployed youths.   Dr. Bawumia said this at Juapong on a day’s campaign tour of the Volta Region on Tuesday.   The tour, which took him to Vakpo, Kpando and Nkonya, also afforded him the opportunity to apologize for the inability of Nana Akufo-Addo to visit those communities on his recent visit to the Region due to the Melcom shopping mall disaster.   The NPP flagbearer cut short his campaign tour to enable him return to Accra to sympathize with the disaster victims and their relatives.     Dr. Bawumia said a government of NPP would give priority to the financial sector and revive the “era where banks were chasing people to come for loans.”   He criticized the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for presiding over a “wahala economy” and said it was time for a change to improve the living conditions of people.   Dr. Bawumia urged the people to vote for their children’s education by voting for Nana Addo to implement the NPP’s free Senior High School (SHS) education campaign policy promise.   Makralo Agbohla VI of Dafor-Adidome called for the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Institute at Juapong.   At Vakpo, Togbega Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of Vakpo Traditional Area, expressed the conviction that NPP’s free SHS education policy was practicable and urged the party to honour that promise should it come to power.   Dr. Bawumia, in response said education played important role in economic transformation and re-assured that the free education policy would be implemented without fail.   He said the NPP was also aware about developmental challenges such as the lack of potable water and roads in the area and assured that the party would address those challenges when voted into office.   The team received rousing welcome at almost every place they visited to campaign amidst bystanders singing the free SHS jingle.    GNA...

Accra, Nov 14, GNA - Madam Sharon Quaye, Collector and officer in charge of the Diplomatic shop-duty free at the KIA, on Tuesday called for some form of restriction on items that were imported into the freezones so as not to kill local initiatives.   She noted that although the focus of the freezones regime was to provide employment and boost local industries, some freezones developers still imported items that could be found locally, such as artifacts and traditionally made bags into the freezone to be exported.   This, she said, did not bode well for local industries.   Madam Quaye was speaking on ‘a suspense regime: freezones’ at a day’s seminar organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division to educate their stakeholders on tax regimes.   She explained that the freezone formed one of the international customs regimes also known as the Suspense Regime; a system which allowed imported goods to undergo processing or further treatment, including domestically produced goods or local importation for eventual exportation or re-exportation.   She noted that no duties or taxes were paid upfront on such goods unless it fell within the customs territory. These regimes include warehousing, transit goods and transshipment.   A customs freezone is an isolated area, building or place within a country considered by law to be outside the customs territory of that country.   Madam Quaye said the freezone presented several benefits to freezone developers as well as the country, including attraction of foreign direct investment, creation of employment, total exemption from payment of direct and indirect duties and levies on all imports and exports from freezone and total exemption of freezone developers from payment of income tax on profits for 10 years, among others.   She noted, however, that a major challenge they faced in their work was the unavailability of modern ICT and connection to the GCNET system, which meant that they had to monitor and control goods manually, which also allowed for mistakes and called for policy makers to make real efforts to introduce modernity into freezone operations as stipulated by the revised Kyoto Convention.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – Samsung, the Global Electronics leader, is once again demonstrating its commitment to making life better for its customers this festive season with exciting offers on its products with unique technologies.    Some of the products included Duracool refrigerators, Eco bubble washing machines, Satellite LED TV and Triple Protector Air-Conditioners.   A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the duracool refrigerator comes in three models with luxurious design.   Mr Richard Nunekpeku, Marketing Manager for Consumer Electronics at Samsung, said the company deeply understood the needs of its consumers.   “We provide tailor-made solutions to meet those specific needs and the technologies built into these products are specifically made for the African market, “he noted.   He said as a brand that was committed to creating a future full of possibilities, management wanted its consumers to have access to meaningful innovations and contemporary designs at better values.   “The technologies out of which Duracool and the washing machine were built are just two of the several technologies we have, “he added.    Mr Nunekpeku said the latest free Satellite LED TV that was recently launched allows consumers to enjoy over 30 English channels and more than 27 French channels at no cost to them.   The marketing manager said Samsung wanted customers and non customers to begin the celebration of the festive season this November by giving them mobile phones and digital cameras for purchase made on Samsung air conditioners, washing machines, free satellite TV and the Duracool refrigerators.   He said the Christmas season bound and connected families and friends, hence the opportunity to provide customers with the tools that could enable them to connect and with their relatives and share those memorable moments.   GNA...

Biriwa (C/R), Nov 14, GNA - A total of 50 men from the Niger Delta in Nigeria have graduated from the Biriwa Vocational Training and Rehabilitation Institute in the Mfantsiman District of the Central Region.       They were awarded National Vocational Training Institute Proficiency II Certificate.   The graduation is the second to be organized for people from the Niger Delta who went through nine months training in wielding and fabrication.   The training is Amnesty Training Programme (ATP) in collaboration with the governments of Ghana and Nigeria to offer vocational training to about 200 ex-militants of the Niger Delta uprising in Nigeria in five technical and vocational institutes in Ghana.   At a durbar on Tuesday held in their honour in Biriwa, Mr Samuel Kwashie Amegbor, Manager of the Institute, said the students were trained in manual metal ARC welding processes, gas welding, metal inert gas, tungsten inert gas as well as numeracy, communication skills, entrepreneurship skills and ICT.   He told them they were lucky to have been offered the opportunity and urged them to go out and utilize the skills acquired to develop themselves, their families, communities and Nigeria as a whole.   The manager also asked them to go to the job market and make the institute and Ghana proud so as to open further opportunities for others, stressing that there were others on the streets in Nigeria and Ghana waiting to be given this golden opportunity.   Mr Amegbor thanked the Biriwa community, the Municipality and Central Region for accommodating the Nigerians and stressed that the Amnesty training programme had really helped the institute to establish a complete workshop, which was being used concurrently to train regular trainees in the area of welding and fabrication and that it had also economically boosted business within the community and Cape Coast environs.   He said the institute ensured holistic training to its students, which made them more marketable on the job market, adding that the stigma attached to vocational education that the course was limited to a specific section of individuals seemed to be dying out with the increasing demand for specialized skills.   The Manager said although the institute was successful it was still faced with a lot of challenges and appealed to all stakeholders to assist it to build an additional boys hostel to help enroll more students locally and internationally.   Mr Amegbor also asked for modern tools and equipment in most of the departments to enhance training, adding that with a trainee population of 1,500, the school had no official vehicle and appealed for a school bus to be used for field trips.   The Deputy Central Regional Minister Mr Aquainas Tawiah Quansah, asked the trained students to make maximum use of the skills they had acquired by setting up their own businesses back home and endeavour to market the institute by producing quality items.   He appealed to the management of the institute to consider giving a quota of about 50 admissions to apprentice mechanics and youth on the streets in the Municipality of which he would cater for their expenses and tools.   Mr Quansah also promised to assist the institute with GH¢5,000 to enable them purchase a school bus as well as assist the girls hostel with 14 ceiling fans and five brand new computers to the school.   Mr Brizimor Dima, the course prefect, thanked the government of Ghana for the opportunity given them and gave the assurance that they would make good use of the skills they had acquired.   Mr Olantunji Otun, ATP coordinator, thanked the government of Ghana and Nigeria for the gesture, stressing that the training given to the students would go a long way to improve upon the bonds that existed between the two countries.   Nana Kwa Bonko V, chief of Biriwa asked the trained students to impart the knowledge they had acquired into others and endeavour to open their own shops.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA - Dr Koma Jehu-Appiah, Country Director for Ipas Ghana, has expressed grave concern about rising incidence of unsafe abortion cases and has called for the full implementation of the Abortion Law.   He said statistics from the Ghana Health Service indicated that unsafe abortion was the second leading cause of maternal mortality in Ghana, accounting for 15 per cent of maternal deaths, and also accounted for 25 to 30 per cent of maternal deaths in leading teaching hospitals in the country.   Speaking at a day’s stakeholders’ forum on Tuesday on “The Medical Social Issues on Abortion” to commemorate the 60th anniversary celebrations of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Dr Jehu-Appiah said it impeded the country’s efforts at achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 primarily aimed at reducing maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015.   The forum organized by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) was under the theme: “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: The Emerging Issues in Ghana”.   Dr Jehu-Appiah noted that although Ghana’s abortion law is considered relatively liberal, the criminalization of abortion, coupled with traditional values, social perceptions and religious teachings, had created a situation where quacks and charlatans carried out abortion in clandestine and dangerous ways.   Legal abortion is permissible in Ghana on grounds of conception resulting from rape; defilement of a female idiot or incest; when there is risk to the life of the woman or likely injury to her mental or physical health or where there is substantial risk or serious abnormality or disease with the foetus.   However, the termination of pregnancy ‘to save the mother’s life, in cases of serious medical conditions, including hypertensive disorders, renal failure, as well as obstetric emergencies such as acute haemorrhage in pregnancy, has been available in virtually all public and private hospitals in Ghana.   Dr Jehu-Appiah expressed concern about the low use and inaccessibility of modern contraceptives and described as being a contributing factor to the high rate of unsafe abortion, adding “how many students can just walk into a pharmacy shop to buy a pack of condom”?   Lack of sex education for young people, he said, was also a contributory factor to unsafe abortion as well as some parents are neglecting their responsibilities to their children in the name of economic gain and religion.   He called on the government, parents and religious bodies to ensure that each played its responsible roles to ensure that Ghana’s high unmet needs of contraceptives was met by making condoms available and education intensified.   Nana Oye Lithur, a human rights activist, and the Executive Director of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre, who also spoke on the topic: “Abortion, Rights and the Law” said Ghana’s laws and policy framework were liberal enough, explaining that although there was no legislative instrument on comprehensive abortion, the GHS had adopted guidelines and protocols which were enough for comprehensive abortion care in Ghana.   She attributed the increasing rate of abortion to the fact that young people were sexually active but did not practice safe sex and called for safe sex education for young people and the prosecution of perpetrators of rape and defilement.   She criticized the Minister of Health and the Ghana Medical and Dental Council for being silent on the recent video released by Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas on a quack doctor who was operating a clinic and performing unsafe abortion.   She challenged the two to make public statements on this matter in which the quack doctor before the procurement of the unsafe abortion had unprotected sex with over 50 young women who sought his services for abortion.   Professor Ken Attafuah, Founding Director of the William Ofori-Atta Institute of Integrity, who spoke on the main theme of the forum, explained that right to health, child prostitution and homosexuality were the main issues that needed to be addressed.   He reiterated the need for intensified education on the abortion law and the need to bridge the low rate of contraceptive use.   Dr Catherine Dawson-Amoah, Executive Director of PPAG, said a lot still remained to be done to surmount the challenges besetting the sexual and reproductive health in order to attain the MDG 4 & 5 as well as the ICPD goals.    She pledged PPAG’s support to remain unwavering in promoting the use of family planning in order to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, reduce adolescent pregnancies, promote condom usage and delay the onset of sexual activities among young people.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – The Government of Ghana on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to peace, security and stability of Cote d’Ivoire, Mr Chris Kpodo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said in Accra.   He said: “President John Daramani Mahama’s position is that Ghana will not tolerate the use of its territory for activities aimed at destabilizing any neighbouring country including Cote d’Ivoire by either Ivoirian Refugees or any person or group of persons.”   Mr Kpodo stated during the signing of the final communiqué of the Tripartite Commission - Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR.   The Tripartite Commission was charged with the voluntary repatriation of refugees from Cote d’Ivoire living in Ghana.   He explained that deliberations and co-operations between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire was not merely states or neighbours but between peoples of the same origin whose destiny was inextricably connected.   “It is therefore, our shared responsibility to work towards peace, security and stability in Cote d’Ivoire for our common good,” he added.   Mr Kpodo said it was within this context that Ghana on October 6, 2011 took a number of decisions including the signing of a tripartite agreement with the UNHCR on voluntary repatriation so that Ivorian Refugees in Ghana would be able to return home to contribute their quota towards national reconstruction and development.   He said even though the remit of the tripartite commission was to ensure the voluntary return of the Ivoirian Refugees to Cote d’Ivoire, “it was worthy to note that authorities of the two countries had been cooperating on all fronts to ensure a peaceful environment and security in Cote d’Ivoire”.   The Deputy Minister opined that during the tripartite commission meeting in Cote d’Ivoire on June 1, 2012, the team acknowledged with satisfaction, the establishment of an effective mechanism to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of the Ivorian Refugees.   Mr Kpodo said efforts were been made by Ghanaian officials to receive a delegation from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is collaborating with Ghanaian authorities to ensure a successful trial of those presumed guilty of criminal acts during the Ivorian post electoral crises.   “To ensure significant progress in this matter, the hosting of a platform for the discussion on the subject of extradition request from Cote d’Ivoire by the UNHCR in Geneva may be useful due to the difference in the approaches of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire on matters of jurisprudence and due process,” he said.   He appealed to the tripartite committee to devise ingenious methods to encourage the international community to enhance its contribution towards the management of the Ivorian Refugees problems, particularly their nutritional and health needs.   Mr Bernard Ehui-Koutoua, Ivoirian Ambassador to Ghana, said President Alassane Ouattara was calling on all Ivoirian Refugees to return home in order to play their part in the national reconstruction of the new nation Cote d’Ivoire.   Madam Sharon J. Cooper, the UNHCR Resident Representative in Ghana said during the Ivorian conflict over 18,000 refugees crossed over into Ghana but so far more than half of them had returned home under the voluntary repatriation programme.   The next meeting of the tripartite committee is slated for April, 2013 in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire.   In attendance were Mr. Ken Dzirasah, Chairman Ghana Refugee Board, Lt. Cl. E. K. T. Donkor, Ghana’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, the UNHCR Resident Representative to Cote d’Ivoire and the Coordinator of Service for Aid and Assistance to Refugees and Stateless Persons (SAARA) in Cote d’Ivoire.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 13, GNA - Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has appointed Mr Michael Adrian Norton Olsen and Mr Richard Edzeame new Marketing and Supply Chain Directors respectively effective 1st November 2012.   Mr Olsen replaces Mr Philip Norley, who has since left the company whiles Mr Edzeame was to take over from Mr Tony Medway.   Mr Olsen has a firmly established marketing background in SABMiller, the parent company of ABL, where he has been working for the past thirty six years in various roles in several locations.   A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday said Mr Olsen recent roles included Category Marketing Manager for Africa, Marketing Director at Nile Breweries Limited, Uganda and Marketing Director of Tanzania Breweries Limited, Tanzania.   It said Mr Edzeame was also not new to ABL but had previously spent fourteen years of dedicated service to the company with four (4) years as Technical Director.   Commenting on his new appointment, Mr Edzeame said, “He was happy to be back home.”   He said having spent fourteen exciting years in the company; it was not a hard decision to return.   “The business has improved tremendously over the past two years and I am very keen to be a part of this,” he added.   Sharing similar sentiments, Mr Olsen also said, “I am delighted that I am joining Team ABL.   “I have watched with admiration the growth and success of the business, and look forward to working with everyone as we take this company to new levels of achievement and recognition,” he noted.   Mr Gregory Metcalf, Managing Director of ABL, said the company was indeed happy to have the two gentlemen joining the company.   “Their wealth of experience will undoubtedly be of immense value to the company as we work together to attain growth and success,” he added.   GNA...

Kumasi, Nov. 13, GNA - Dr. Ted N. C. Wilson, President of the General Conference (GC) of the Seventh-day Adventists Church (SDA) on Monday urged members of the Church to promote the virtues of peace, forgiveness, good neighbourliness and generosity in their communities and the nation at large.      Preaching a sermon at the Baba Yara sports stadium in Kumasi, Dr Wilson who is on his maiden visit to Ghana, also prayed for God to take absolute control over the upcoming general election and make it a success.      He advised members of the SDA church to desist from  electoral malpractices that will hamper the peace, prosperity and  development  of the country.       He said the church was built on the foundation of truth and peace, hence its members should follow suit.       During the sermon which had the theme, "Revival through His word", Dr Wilson also drew the congregation’s attention to the signs of Christ's coming saying the signs were increasing in frequency and intensive everyday.        He cited destructive natural disasters, great confusion in world politics, and drastic increase in spiritualism as of the some signs that attest to Christ’s coming.       "The deterioration of the world economies, disintegration of society and family values, disbelief in absolute authority of God's holy word and the Ten Commandments, rampant crime and moral decay, wars and rumors of war, all point unmistakably to the  Lord's return to take us on the final journey home to Heaven", he emphasised.       He added that the signs should alert all Christians to repent for there was no time to waist on this sinful world.         Dr. Wilson assured the congregation about tremendous blessing from God and said, even amidst the uncertainty of the world, Christians could rest with absolute confidence in the unchanging word of God throughout the course of human history and against relentless satanic attack.            He urged members of the church to emulate the humanity of Christ by being submissive and responsible in their dealings to lift the banner of Christ high.   He also sent a message of condolence to the bereaved families of the victims who lost their lives in the Melcom Shopping Complex building at Achimota in Accra.   As part of his itinerary, Dr Wilson formally inaugurated and dedicated the Multicultural Training Centre edifice at Gyinyase in Kumasi.   The GC President earlier paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene,  Otumfuor  Osei Tutu II.   The Ghana Union Conference (GUC) of Seventh-day Adventists church (SDA)  in collaboration with the South Central Ghana Conference (SCGC) has warmly embraced its   Earlier in the day, several hundreds of SDA church members from far and near had thronged the airport to welcome the 62-year-old  Dr. Wilson who was accompanied by his wife.   A native of Takoma Park, Maryland, (USA), Dr Wilson is the 20th President of the GC of the SDA Church.   GNA...

Elmina, Nov. 14, GNA - Dr. Ato Quarshie, an independent candidate for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) constituency, has launched his campaign and pledged to continue to be the good shepherd he had been to the people over the years.   Dr. Quarshie, who was the Member of Parliament for the area for three consecutive times, met a huge crowd from all the four traditional areas in the constituency, who pledged their support to secure him the seat.   The enthusiastic crowd many of them spotting National Democratic Congress (NDC) ‘T’ shirts, thronged the Nana Kobina Gyan Square at Elmina to give Dr. Quarshie a rousing welcome.   Women spread cloths on the floor for him to walk on as he struggled through to make his way to the grounds through the thick crowd.   Addressing them, Dr. Quarshie said he was not contesting to seek personal gains but to ensure that the developmental agenda as well as projects he initiated but had been stalled or in deplorable state were continued and or repaired.   Among the projects were the Elmina Bridge that links the town to the fish market, the castle and roads in Elmina and other areas in the constituency and the re-siting of the Edinaman Senior High School at its present location.   He regretted that all the roads constructed during his tenure were in deplorable state whilst the bridge was fast deteriorating posing danger to lives.   He said that he was compelled to contest the polls because opinion leaders and chiefs from the four traditional areas appealed to him to do so and as a good shepherd, he had to heed to the calls of his people to lead them and not to abandon them.   Dr. Quarshie said he was the best candidate, who could save the decline of developmental projects in the area and pledged to work to ensure that Elmina was given the needed facelift to befit its status as one of the glorious ancient cities in the country.   Mr. Michael Nkrumah, the Communications Director and Personal Assistant to Dr. Quarshie appealed to the electorate to give Dr. Quarshie the mandate to represent them in Parliament as they would not regret doing so.   He explained that the symbol of Dr. Quarshie comprising a canoe, machete and a book represent the fishermen, farmers and the educational sector respectively and therefore his agenda would cover all aspects of livelihood.   Dr. Quarshie, an NDC stalwart, contested the NDC 2012 primary with the incumbent MP, Dr. Joseph Annan and lost.   Some grassroot party supporters had accused Dr. Annan of being disrespectful and insensitive to them and had threatened to vote ‘skirt and blouse’ if Dr. Quarshie failed to heed to their calls to contest.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 14, GNA — The African Union’s Commissioner for Social Affairs, Dr Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko has launched a new website for the Union’s Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) – www.carmma.org.   The new website, which was developed by a team in the Department of Social Affairs aims at promoting maternal and newborn survival, and providing evidence on progress in achieving the targets African leaders have set.   The development of the website was funded by UK AID as part of the Evidence for Action (E4A) programme.   Launching the website, the Commissioner said: “The African Union continues to play a critical role in promoting issues of maternal, newborn and child survival and placing it high on the African political agenda”.   He said the website is a culmination of the work of many African and International champions of maternal, child and newborn health. It is the hope of the Union that, the website will bring together in one place, evidence and information on maternal, newborn and child survival across the continent.   Dr. Mustapha said “We also hope to showcase the champions that are working to give African mothers and their babies a future. He invited visitors to the site to identify individuals and send in stories, detailing their local, national or continent-wide maternal survival champions.   The AU Commissioner for Social Affairs said, “We are aware of the many men and women, health workers, officials, community leaders as well as political leaders who work on a day-to-day basis saving the lives of women and children.   “It does not matter who they may be and where they are located. We want to appreciate the role they are playing so send us a photo and story of these champions and we will do our best to feature them on this website. By this, we hope to bring together an army of CARMMA champions across the continent. Adding that “Africa Cares: No Woman Should Die While Giving Life”   CARMMA was launched in 2009 with the aim to trigger concerted and increased actions to improve maternal and newborn health and survival across the continent. CARMMA has been launched in 37 African countries including Ghana   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – Ex-Black Stars, Stephen Appiah has failed to reach an agreement with Iranian club, Persepolis.   The 31-year old was reported to have inked a deal with the Tehran-based club last week, but GNA Sports understands the move has fallen through.   Information gathered by GNA Sports indicates that Appiah failed to impress the Portuguese trainer of Persepolis, Jose Manuel during the three-days of observation with the most supported club in Iran.   According to Iranian daily, Tehran Times, the performance of Appiah fell short of the expectation of Manuel, of Ahly fame, who was hoping to bank on the services of the player to boost the club’s fortunes.   “Manuel Jose rejected to sign former Ghana captain Stephen Appiah due to health reasons on Monday.   “The 31-year-old Ghanaian midfielder Appiah attended the training with Persepolis but did not impress Jose,” quoted the Tehran Times.   The development won’t go down well with fans of Persepolis, who thronged the airport in pockets to welcome the former Black Stars captain last week, and were hoping he dons their famous red colour.   Meanwhile, Persepolis has invited Australian defender David Carney for a three-day trial ahead of a permanent deal.   Appiah has not tasted action since his short stint with Serbian side Vojvodina which ended in April.   The talented midfielder announced his retirement from international football in 2010 having had stints with Italian clubs, Udinese, Parma, Brescia, Juventus, Bologna and Cesena as well as Turkish giants, Fenerbahce.   GNA...

Tema, Nov. 14, GNA – Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, on Wednesday reminded custom officers that as guards at the gate of an institution that generate revenue for national development they should desist from indulging in corrupt practices.   Prof Awoonor said this when some members of the council interacted with customs officers in the long-room at the Tema Harbour during a working visit to the harbour.   He commended the officers for their high sense of dedication, sacrifice, commitment and loyalty to the nation and urged them not to compromise with unpatriotic Ghanaians to sabotage the national economy.       Briefing members of the council, Major General Carl Modey, Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, stressed the need for an oversight committee to regulate activities at the ports so that stakeholders who faulted could be appropriately sanctioned.   Mr Richard Anamoo, Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, reiterated the need to decongest the ports to ensure efficiency in its day-to-day operations.   Members of the council later toured the main port, MPS Terminal, Scanners and the Golden Jubilee Terminal to acquaint themselves with the operations of those facilities.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – Ghanaian girls still have a less chance of enrolling in school in spite of progress made at improving access to education, a recent global report on Ghana disclosed on Wednesday.   The 10th edition of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report (EFAGMR) said 53 per cent of poor girls living in the Northern Region had never been to school.   It said more needed to be done to overcome inequalities due to poverty and gender adding that progress in education was not reaching the marginalized.   Mr Kwame Akyeampong, a policy analyst with United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), who read the report at a ceremony organized in Accra stressed that Ghana needed to invest more in the educational sector to meet the Millennium Development Goals on education.   “Among those who had completed nine years of school in 2008, 21 per cent were illiterate, about a quarter were only partially literate”, he said.   The EFAGMR aimed at tracking progress, identifying effective policy reforms and best practices in the six-pronged education goals to be achieved by 2015 as agreed upon in Senegal.   In April 2000, more than 1,100 participants from 164 countries met in Dakar, Senegal for the World Education forum and adopted the Dakar Framework for Action, Education for All: Meeting Our Collective Commitments”.   The goals are to: expand early childhood care and education, achieve universal primary education, promote learning and life skills for young people and adults, reduce adult illiteracy by 50 per cent, and to achieve gender parity and equality.   Mr Akyeampong said almost a third of young people had less than a lower secondary education and lacked the foundation skills needed for getting adequately-paid work.   “In rural areas, 48 per cent of young women aged 15-24 have less than a lower secondary education, compared to 39 per cent of young men.   Mr Akyeampong said “both the urban and rural poor suffer from poor foundation skills”, adding that only nine per cent of richest urban had less than a lower secondary education, compared with around half of the rural and urban poor.   He said Ghana was showing strong commitment towards funding education saying 5.6 per cent of Ghana’s national plans were spent on education in 2010, increasing from 4.2 per cent in 1999.   Mr Acheampong said “there are also positive signs of providing support to the disadvantaged young people through Ghana’s national plans”, adding that the Shared Growth and Development Agenda 2010-2013 included objectives to expand training for workers in the informal sector.   He said primary education was being “squeezed” in budgets and “Ghana has increased the share of the education budget earmarked for tertiary education which now makes up 23 per cent of public expenditure on education, the shares for both primary and secondary education, on the other hand, have decreased since 1999.”   With just three years to go until the deadline for the goals to be met, the global report shows that improvements in early childhood care and education for many countries have been too slow.   It also indicates that progress towards universal primary education was stalling with many young people lacking foundation skills.   The EFAGMR shows adult illiteracy remained an elusive goal and gender disparities took a variety of forms.     It also indicates that global inequality in learning outcomes remained stark because as many as 250 million children worldwide could be failing to read or write by the time they reached grade four.   GNA...

Vakpo (V/R), Nov. 14, GNA – Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Wednesday pledged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would continue with its people-centred development projects, and asked Ghanaians to retain the party in power on December 7.   “The hospitals have been built and the schools have been constructed.  The foundation has been laid for an accelerated development of the country for the next 20 to 30 years, and we are asking you to retain the NDC in power so that we can continue to build on what we have done so far.    We have to improve upon the living conditions of Ghanaians and that of our children so that they would have a better live.   “... elections are about the choice of how the country will go forward and we have to invest for the future, rather than ‘chopping’ everything today”, he said.   Vice President Amissah-Arthur was speaking at NDC rally at Vakpo in the Volta Region, after calling on Togbega Gbogbolulu V, Paramount Chief of Vakpo, at the beginning of a two-day tour of the region.   He stressed the determination of the NDC to invest massively in children and the youth for them to have a better future.     The Vice President said this would require the putting into use resources and that “it is not possible to make everything free.”   He said that the NDC would continue to replace schools under trees with classroom blocks and build structures for Senior High Schools, resource teachers for them to give off their best.   The Vice President said this could only take place take place if Ghanaians vote for President John Dramani Mahama, NDC presidential candidate for Election 2012, on December 7.   He said God has made that possible by placing President Mahama on the number one position on the ballot paper.   “The first person on the ballot paper is President Mahama.  He is the choice.  It is about the choice for development”,     Vice President Amissah-Arthur said.   The Vice President introduced Mr George Loh, the NDC parliamentary candidate for North Dayi, for Election 2012.   At the palace of Togbega Gbogbolulu, Vice President Amissah-Arthur praised traditional leaders for their wisdom and maturity and reiterated that the government would continue to partner them to improve the lives of the people.   Togbega Gbogbolulu presented a document that outlined development challenges of the area to the Vice President.   Togbe Sasraku, Chief of Tsrukpe Tota, said the Vice President is a forward looking person.   The chief called on political leaders to be selfless and sacrifice and expressed the hope that the Mahama-Amissah-Arthur government would ensure that the Volta Region got its fair share of national development.   At Anfoega Vice President Amissah-Arthur, who addressed a similar rally at Anfoega in the region, said the NDC would not waste national resources and would invest oil proceeds in development projects to the benefit to the people.   As the Vice President’s entourage moved, the people came out in their numbers and waved enthusiastically.   Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Volta Regional Minister, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Minister for Tourism, Mr Dan Kwasi Abodakpi, Ghana’s High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpor, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Henry Ametepe and Ms Bertha Amenuvor, Deputy Treasurer of the NDC accompanied the Vice President.   GNA...

Koforidua, Nov.14, GNA - The Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (GCNH), on Wednesday began a two-day stakeholders meeting on HIV/AIDS in Koforidua.      The coalition has been working in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) since 2009 as Principal Recipient (PR) in implementing activities aimed at reducing the spread of the AIDS pandemic as well as eliminating stigmatization suffered by the AIDS victims.      Mr Michael Boadi, Advocacy Officer, said although currently the Central Region has the highest prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS in Ghana, the 3.6 percent rate in the Eastern Region was still high and required concerted efforts to bring it down.      “The region connects many other administrative and commercial centres of the country and even serves as a transit region for travelers enroute to neighbouring countries”.      Mr Boadi indicated that due to the high incidence of poverty coupled with high cost of living young people  fell prey to the enticements and engaged in sex with strangers ultimately exposing themselves to HIV and AIDS.      “These reasons still place the Eastern Region as one of the high risk areas of HIV and AIDS infection”.     He said concerted efforts such as intensive Prevention/Behaviour Change Communication activities geared towards promoting safer sex, delayed sex among the youth, regular and proper use of condoms, and willingness of more people to test and know their HIV status would be needed to address the menace.     Mr James Mensah Boamah, Eastern Regional Chairman of the GCNH, said having performed satisfactorily in both technical and financial management of the project in the Multi-Sectorial HIV/AIDS Programme, the Ghana Aids Commission had given the coalition yet one more opportunity to contribute to all the efforts being made across the country to ensure zero transmission from mother to child and reduced new infection by 50 percent.   He, therefore, solicited views from the participants on how to make the implementation better in order to achieve the project objectives.      Mr Boamah announced that the budget for the project is GHc 400,000 for two years which would be disbursed in four tranches based on their performance and reporting.      He mentioned some of the activities as capacity building training workshops - GHc 70,280.00, house to house - GHc 46,080.00, church/mosque outreach GHc 46,080.00, market Outreach- GHC 15,360.00, school education campaign - GHc 30,720.00 and condom promotion - GHc 30,720.00 among others.   GNA...

Goaso, Nov. 14, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday embarked on a four-day campaign tour of the Brong Ahafo Region with a call on members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to advertise the party's performance for the electorate to recognize its achievements.   “The opposition have deliberately refused to recognize the performance of the NDC by constantly saying we have not done anything and it is for us members to let the electorate to know and recognize our feat in the last four years,” President Mahama said when he addressed a rally at Goaso to kick-start his campaign tour of the Region   Before entering the Brong Ahafo Region, President Mahama had addressed rallies at Mankranso , Fawoman and Tepa in the Ahafo Ano South and North Constituencies respectively in the Ashanti Region and later addressed similar ones in Hwiddiem, Kenyasi, Atronie and Kukuom all in the Brong Ahafo Region.   President Mahama said it was sad that in spite of the provision of free school uniform, elimination of schools under trees and free exercise books, opponents of the NDC were still rendering them invalid in their performance and asked for objective evaluation of programmes.   “No matter how well a fowl dances, it will never impress the hawk, and we expect the hawk this time to know that the fowl also deserves some recognition,” the President added.   He appealed to NDC members to come out in their numbers to vote massively for the NDC on December 7, to avoid a second round that could deprive them of the usual Christmas merry-making.   President Mahama on his second-day campaign tour of the Region on Wednesday is scheduled to visit Yeji, Atebubu, Amantin and other rural communities in the area where he will address rallies. GNA  ...

Cape Coast, Nov. 14, GNA - Public sector workers and Civil Servants occupying the Cape Coast Ministries Block have expressed fear over the weak nature of the building they occupy and have appealed to President  John Mahama to immediately intervene for it to be rehabilitated.   The concerns and fears follow the Melcom disaster that claimed 14 lives at Achimota in Accra recently.   The six-storey block which has deep cracks with some of the iron rods hanging out dangerously was built during Colonel Benarsko’s  tenure as Regional Commissioner in the 1970s, and had since not seen any renovation. And due to its position close to the sea, the sea weather has also had its toll on the building.   It has developed serious cracks and leaks badly when it rains. The workers live in constant fear and have made several appeals to the Regional Coordinating Council which has the oversight responsibility but all to no avail.   Not even publications from both the electronic and print media including the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Graphic, Chronicle, Daily Guide, TV3 and Metro Television could persuade successive Governments over the years to release funds for the needed renovation.   More than 200 workers of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies including the Ghana Education Service, Controller and Accountant General’s Department, the Audit Service, Information Services Department and the Ghana News Agency are located in the block.   Others are the Ghana Cocoa Board, Department of Community Development, the Business Advisory Centre and the Ghana Immigration Service.   Expressing their fears to the GNA on Wednesday, the workers described the structure as a “death trap” that was dangerous not only to workers but also the hundreds of clients who trooped in daily to transact business in the various departments within the block.   Some workers of the Controller and Accountant General's Department described the building as a time bomb waiting to ‘explode’ at any moment.   The worker said they were living in great fear as disaster could occur at any time and, therefore, appealed to all departmental heads to bring pressure to bear on the Government to rectify the situation within the shortest possible time. GNA  ...

Cape Coast, Nov. 14, GNA –The Melcom Shopping Centre in Cape Coast, has poor ventilation as a result of lack of windows and the fact the facility has only one entrance serving as both entry and exit point.   The well-patronised trading centre, which is the only shopping mall in the city, occupies large space with variety of goods sold there.   The Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday observed that the shopping centre’s only entrance serves as exist for shoppers and for carting goods.   Shoppers and workers at the mall move about under humid condition to the extent that fans placed at vantage points in the shop have not solved the problem.   Some shoppers at the Mall complained to GNA that conditions at the Mall could cause the spread of airborne diseases as the only air-condition was at the branch Manager’s office.   They appealed to the management of Melcom, to provide air conditioner to ease the humid condition in the shop.   When GNA contacted the manager on the issue, he declined to comment. GNA  ...

Akim Swedru (E/R), Nov. 14, GNA –  A member of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in-charge of programmes, Mr Samuel Akuamoah has urged Ghanaians not to let child labour to tarnish the country’s enviable record as a pace-setter in democracy in sub- Saharan Africa.   He said for the nation to progress, Ghanaians needed to refrain from all activities that constituted child labour.   Mr Akuamoah made the call at a Birim South Round Table meeting of stakeholders in cocoa production at Akim Swedru. The meeting was organised by the NCCE and sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) under the Cocoa Community Project (CCP).   Four cocoa growing districts in the country, namely Birim South, Twifu Hemang Lower Denkyira, Suhum and Wassa Amenfi West, participated in the programme which aimed at sensitising the communities on the dangers posed by using children below the age of 18 years in cocoa production.   The NCCE member said threats from the nation’s trading partners to boycott buying Ghana’s cocoa and fish because of engaging children in farming and fishing activities were sufficient to prompt Ghanaians about how serious the international community regarded child labour.   “Our trading partners are not selfish to see the future of the Ghanaian children destroyed by their parents who engage them in hazardous activities at the expense of their education,” Mr Akuamoah said.   He urged Ghanaians to help to make the upcoming general election incident-free and asked them not to regard holding free, fair and transparent election as the responsibility of the Electoral Commission (EC) alone, adding that it was everybody’s responsibility.   Mr Akuamoah recounted how children and women suffered in civil wars and prayed that the nation would never experience that calamity.   Mr Eric Bottey, Eastern Regional Director of the NCCE commended the EC for putting in place good policies to ensure free, fair and transparent elections and appealed to the electorate to abide by the policies to ensure a violent-free election.   Mr Justice Archer, Technical Director of Child Aid and Youth Development Network, a non-governmental organisation called for improvement of conditions in schools to make them conducive for children to stay and learn.   Mr Andrews Owusu Gyamfi, Quality Control Officer, commended the country's trading partners on the decision to boycott Ghana’s cocoa if farmers did not stop engaging children in farming.   Mrs Rebecca Agyei-Ofori, a staff of NCCE said a child must not be made to work for more than two hours during school days and three hours during weekends and holidays.   Mr Stephen Agyei-Yeboah, Birim South District Director of NCCE called on Ghanaians to ponder over whether the children they were producing would be fit to become responsible future leaders if they did not put a stop to child labour . GNA  ...