Accra, Nov. 16, GNA – Twenty-nine (29) people have been confirmed dead in the Tamale-Bolgatanga road accident, which occurred this Friday night a couple of hours ago.   Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, an orthopaedic consultant of the Tamale Teaching Hospital confirmed the dead to the Ghana News Agency.   He said the dead comprised 13 females including a seven year old girl and 16 males. They have all been deposited at the Hospital mortuary. Over 30 people are also reported injured.    The accident occurred at Kogni in the Temale Metropolis when a Metro Mass bus and a Benz bus with registration numbers AW 238Z and WR 2712C respectively, travelling on opposite directions, had a head-on collision.   An eyewitness told the GNA that the Benz Bus was overtaking a motor rider when the collision occurred.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA - About 1,000 students from two institutions in the Central Region have been schooled on creative ways to start up enterprises to make a living.   The programme themed ‘Entrepreneurs Go To Schools’ Tour was part of activities to mark Global Entrepreneurship celebration week organized by the Local Enterprises and Skills Development (LESDEP).   The program was aimed at educating students on the practical ways of starting an income generating activity and beneficiary institutions included the Biriwa Vocational Institute and the Cape Coast Technical Institute.   The Managing Director of Yewodze Enterprise, Mr Kwasi Doudu-Amponsah, who lectured the students at separate gatherings, said it was time to believe in themselves and their creative and innovative abilities as Ghanaians to start up business.   He said it was important for the youth to appreciate the resources that God had given the nation and to use such resources to better their lives.   He said the taste for foreign products was a deterrent to the growth and development of local industries saying this had led to the collapse of many of the local industries in the country and increased unemployment in the country.   Mr Doudu-Amponsah said it was time to develop a new taste for Ghanaian-made products to ensure that the industries in the country survive and thrived.   He urged the youth to take their destinies into their own hands and use their creative abilities to start enterprises to provide employment for themselves and others.   Mr Doudu-Amponsah started a small soap making factory in 1985 and now supplies four different brands of soap, palm kernel oil and coconut oil to several countries in West Africa, Europe and America.   He advised the youth to believe in themselves to achieve their goals in life.   The Central Regional Coordinator of LESDEP, Mr Edwin Okopti Sowah, said government would commit to developing the entrepreneurial abilities of the youth to help them start their own businesses.   He advised the youth to take advantage of the various opportunities created by government to earn some income and improve their lives.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA - A program to inform political parties, on the needs of Small Holder Farmers has been held in Accra.   The program themed "Smallholder Agriculture Sensitive Manifestos and Party Pledges to Reduce Poverty," and sponsored by Action Aid in collaboration with Green Earth Organization,  brought together smallholder farmers in the Ga East and West Districts of the country, as well as the country's political parties.   The program was a follow-up to an earlier one, which was held between political parties and smallholder farmers in July, 2012, during which the parties asked for time to complete pledge cards.   Each pledge of a political party, indicated five core areas the party would work on to address the needs of the farmers.   Ms Queronica Quartey, Right to Food and Climate Change Policy Advisor to Action Aid, co-sponsors of the program, told the Ghana News Agency, that politicians often made promises, which they were never held to account.   "We have decided to make our parliamentarians and politicians know what small holder farmers' needs are, and based on these needs, they would sign pledge cards, that would spell out what they would do, when they come to power."   She said by the pledge cards, "we would be able to hold them to account for what they have promised".   The farmers made a number of complaints which they hoped would be addressed by the government in due course.   The lack of modern day farming tools such as tractors, Knowledge on modern soil tilling techniques, inadequate fertilizer, supply as well as assistance from government in marketing their goods, were some of the concerns raised by the farmers.   Mr George Ahiadzie, Executive Director of Green Earth-Ghana, co-sponsors of the program, said it was unfortunate, that out of all the political parties that were supposed to deliver their pledge cards "at the program today, only the People's Popular Party delivered theirs".   He said a card that outlined the aims of a politician with his signature appended to it, was one of the best means of ensuring accountability in governance.   In July 2012, a dialogue on the concerns of smallholder farmers for the consideration of the manifestos of political parties was held between farmers and political parties in Accra.   The parties present were the Convention People's Party(CPP), New Patriotic Party(NPP), and People's National Convention(PNC).   The concerns of the farmers mainly centered on the provision and timely delivery of farm inputs, processing and storage, guarantee prices for agricultural produce among other things.   According to an Action Aid Policy Brief, to achieve annual agricultural growth of six percent, "a recent study suggests that Ghana needs to devote approximately 14 percent of the government budget to agriculture".   It said the government's allocation to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture "is especially low at 2.8 percent of the total budget in 2011."   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA - The 2012 presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Abu Skara, has expressed his deepest condolence at the death of the former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama who died at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.   “I wish to send my deepest condolence to his wife Hajia Aliu Mahama and the children, then the entire family of our late former Vice President and also to the people of Ghana,” he said in a statement.   “He served honorably as Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and served the people of the North throughout his entire life. Ghana has lost an illustrious son and the people of the North have lost an asset,” the statement added.   Alhaji Mahama would be buried on Saturday afternoon.   GNA...

Accra , Nov. 16, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has suspended all campaign activities from the national to constituency levels with immediate effect following the death of former vice president Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Friday.   A statement issued by Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary, said all NPP offices had been asked to fly their flags at half-mast in honour of him until further notice.   It said the campaign would resume after the burial on Saturday of Alhaji Mahama at the Military Cemetery, Osu.   The statement said the NPP had received the sad news of the death of the former Vice President and was mourning deeply with the widow, Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama, the children and the entire family.   "The late former Vice president of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, distinguished himself as a two-term Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, from 2001 to 2008. He singularly held up the party’s fortunes, throughout the country and was well loved by the NPP faithful and his nation," it said.   Alhaji Mahama will be given a state burial.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has declared five days of national mourning following the death of former vice president Alhaji Aliu Mahama at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Friday.   He has also directed that all flags should fly at half-mast during the period.   An official statement released by Mr James Agyemim-Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, has said.   “President Mahama had a personal relationship with the deceased vice president which transcended political lines. He was a personal friend of the President and the two had mutual respect for one another,” the statement said.   “Alhaji Aliu Mahama served his country well. In recognition of his services to Ghana, he will be accorded a deserving State burial in consultation with his family and in accordance with his Islamic faith.”   The statement said President Mahama’s thoughts and prayers were with the wife, children and family of our late vice president.   It said the President had also extended his condolence on behalf of the Government and people of Ghana.   Alhaji Mahama passed on at 0945 hours at the age of 66.   The former vice president will be buried on Saturday afternoon at the Military Cemetery, Osu, after Muslim prayers at the State House.   According to the programme for the burial, the body would be brought to the State House at 1200 noon and the Chief Imam would lead the Muslim prayers at 1330 hours.   There will be no wake and no file past.   Vice President Mahama was born on March 3, 1946 at Yendi and schooled at the Tamale Secondary School from where he proceeded to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) where he graduated as a Building Technology Engineer.   He partnered former President John Agyekum Kufuor to win elections on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2000 and 2004.   Former President Kufuor has also expressed deep shock and sorrow over the passing of his friend and former Vice-President Alhaji Mahama.   This was contained in a statement on Friday signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Spokesman and Special Aide to the former President and copied to the Ghana News Agency.   The statement said former President Kufuor had visited Alhaji Aliu Mahama while on admission at the hospital and was hopeful of his early recovery.   It stated that the former President described his former second-in-command as “a diligent worker, a gentleman and a friend whom I will miss dearly”.   “Aliu contributed significantly to the success of my government and was a pillar of strength in the New Patriotic Party. The void he has left will be too hard to fill. The NPP and the nation have lost a true patriot and unifier,” the statement said.         “I join the entire NPP family to mourn this great stalwart of our tradition and hope that his demise will serve as a rallying call for all members to work hard for victory 2012,” he said.   “To the rest of the nation, I say let's close ranks and be guided always by our love of our common humanity,” the statement added.   GNA...

Tamale, Nov 16, GNA - Participants at a round-table meeting organized by the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS) has congratulated Mr. Joseph Donkor Issachar on his appointment as the Administrator-General.   They, however, urged him to be very proactive in his role to ensure that in spite of his delayed appointment, the implementation of the Act does not suffer any bottlenecks.   Mr Samuel Zan Akologo Executive Secretary, Department of Human Development at the NCS, presented the statement on behalf of the group at the end of the gathering.   The meeting which was funded by Star-Ghana, sought to provide an update on civil society efforts to ensure that the Presidential Transition Act (Act 845) was effectively implemented come 2013.   Mr Akologo assured the Administrator-General of the support of Civil Society Organizations in his work and commended the President John Dramani Mahama for keeping to his commitment to implement the Presidential Transition Act for the 2013 political transition and appointing the Administrator-General for the Presidential Estates Unit.   He appealed to the Office of the President to cooperate and resource the Administrator-General to ensure that the Act was effectively implemented according to the provisions of the Act 845.   Mr Akologo congratulated the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference for its consistent and bold lobby efforts at the highest level of policy makers which had contributed significantly to the passage of the Bill and Presidential assent as well as it implementation.   The round table forms part NCS’s strategic partnership with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in maximizing their efforts to achieve a free, transparent and fair elections for a smooth political transition in 2013.   “In this light, we encourage Mr Issachar to give periodic updates to the public on progress or challenges of his work to ensure that the Act is implemented according to stipulated schedule and time table”, he said.   GNA...

Winneba (C/R), Nov. 16, GNA – The Winneba Magistrate Court has sentenced a 25-year-old mason to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing items valued at GH¢3,150 belonging to a lecturer of University of Education – Winneba.   The items stolen include four bags of Royal brand rice, two mattresses, 21-inch colour TV, 21-inch bush flat screen TV and a cash of GH¢1,000.   Matthew Sam Kojo Kumi, a native of Ekumfi Otouam and currently residing at Gomoa Pomadzie, pleaded guilty and was sentenced accordingly on his plea.   Prosecution Police Sergeant Peter Agbelie told the court presided over by Mr Charles Owusu Nsia, that the complainant of the case resides at Gyeterkrom.   He said on November 5, 2012 at about 1730 hours the complainant returned from work and discovered that the door to his house has been forcibly opened and some items stolen out of the room.   He said the complainant reported the matter to the Winneba Police who quickly came to the scene to investigate the report.   The prosecution said the next day at about 01:30 hours the patrol team intercepted the accused person at Gomoa Asibu and detected some weeds in his trousers, thereby escorted him to his house for a search.   Sergeant Agbelie said during the search, some of the missing items were found in the room of the accused person.   The Police called the complainant who came and identified the items as his items that were stolen from his room.   The accused was arrested and sent to the Police station and in his caution statement he admitted the offence.   GNA...

Winneba (C/R), Nov. 16, GNA – Mrs Georgina Nkrumah Aboah, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, District Chief Executive, has appealed to people in the area not to be agents of peace tolerance, unity and harmony alone but rather to desist from acts that could lead to violence.   She there was the need for them all to unite as one people and hope for the best of the district and Ghana as a whole.   Mrs Aboah made the call when she addressed a durbar of chiefs and people of Breman Aikuma Traditional Area as part of their Odwira Afahye celebration.   The festival was under the theme: “Uniting Bremanman for Accelerated Development”.   Mrs Aboah took advantage of the occasion to announce to the gathering the purpose for which she is contesting the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the area in the impending December, 2012 election.   She asked them to vote for her in order to continue with the hope, dreams and visions they share as one people saying “although we sometimes disagree on certain issues regarding development, these differences certainly makes us what we are.”   Mrs Aboah said though each had his own political affiliations but they should remember to remain more united as people than allowing politics to divide them.   Odeefo Amoakwa Buadu VII, Paramount Chief of Breman Asikuma Traditional Area, said the development of the area would be threatened if they do not have peace and that as one people they should pray that the election would be peaceful.   “All of us have the responsibility of building a country where every citizen counts in helping to build the free prosperous and wealthy nation.”   Odeefo Buadu said although the politicians may have divergent views there was the need for them to be very tolerant of opposing views to forge ahead as one people.   He said it was unfortunate that the District Police Command which has been mandated by law to maintain peace and order, has no operational vehicle appealed to the government to assist them with a vehicle before the December election to enable them rush to areas where misunderstanding could occur.   GNA...

Tema, Nov. 16, GNA - The Tema Regional Branch of the United Cadres Front has assured Dr Mensah Otabil, Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) bears him no grudge.     A statement issued on November 15 by the Communication Directorate of the United Cadres Front thanked Dr Otabil for his forth-rightness on education in the country.     It encouraged him to continue his bold stance but expressed the disappointment at the strong words used by Dr Otabil to describe those playing the recording of his position on free education.     “His posture at a press conference in reaction to some sermons which he delivered and were being played on some private radio stations, was rather disappointing”, it said.   GNA...

Koforidua, Nov. 16, GNA - The Local Government Network (LOGNET), a civil society organization, concerned with local government issues, has advocated the appointment of more women to government positions .       The Chairperson of the Steering Committee of LOGNET, Ms Adwoa Kwateng-Kluvitse, who made the call, said that two years ago, there was a policy directive to appoint a percentage of women to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies but that order was not followed.      She was speaking at the formal opening of the third Annual General Meeting of LOGNET, in Koforidua on Friday, which      was attended by representatives of 80 civil society and non-governmental organizations.      Ms Kwateng-Kluvitse also called on Ghanaians to elect more women into Parliament and said next year, the Network would take steps to ensure the political empowerment of women.   GNA...

 AFRICA ICT WEEK The African Union has set aside the 19th to 24th of November as Africa ICT week in recognition of the ever increasing relevance of the convergence of telecommunications computer and audio-visuals in the last two decades or so in an information age. The week thus underlines the importance that information, knowledge and technology play in modern socio-economic development by highlighting the importance of ICT as a tool of development.   The World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) of Tunis in November 2005 adopted the Tunis Commitment that has become the framework of building the Information Society and harnessing it for rapid development being, that the effective use of information and knowledge has become the most critical factor for rapid economic growth and wealth creation, and for improving socio-economic well-being.   The celebration of Africa ICT week from the 19th to the 24th of November is, therefore, meant to provide a constant reflection of the gains Africa has made even if minimal, in harnessing ICTs to realize a knowledge-based economy in order to ultimately achieve the millennium goals of 2015. It is generally acknowledged that ICT will pave the way for Africa to bridge the digital divide and make a success of its transformation from an agricultural society to a knowledge society.   As is the case, all pan-Africa seminars and workshops engender one basic conclusion-Africa is aware of the obstacles that have prevented its societies from developing to bridge the gap with other developed countries. These include the still too high cost of communications, existence of social barriers (gender, language, culture, lack of social content etc), affordability, lack of access to communications and electricity.   Thus this year’s celebration on the theme-Promoting Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance Through ICT- has a huge relevance to Ghana’s ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) policy whose major thrust is to:   ·                    Create the necessary enabling environment to facilitate the deployment, utilization and exploitation of ICT within the economy and society   • Support the development of a viable knowledge-based ICT industry to facilitate the production, manufacturing, development, delivering, and distribution of ICT products and services.   • Facilitate the modernization of the agricultural sector through the deployment and exploitation of ICT to improve on its efficiency.   • Support the development of a competitive high value-added services sector, to serve as an engine for accelerated development and economic growth, with the potential to develop into a regional business-services and ICT hub.   • Aid the process of the development of national human resource capacity and the nation’s R&D capabilities to meet the changing needs and demands of the economy   • Promote an improved educational system within which ICT widely deployed to facilitate the delivery of educational services at all levels of the educational system   • Facilitate a wide-spread deployment and exploitation of ICT within the society to support the delivery of social services.   • Support the modernization of the civil and public service through institutional reforms, renewal and the deployment and exploitation of ICT to facilitate improvements in operational effectiveness, efficiency and service delivery   • Facilitate the development, expansion, rehabilitation and the continuous modernization of the national information and communications infrastructure   • Guide the development and implementation of e-governance, as well as electronic commerce, business strategies and action plans   • Accelerate the development of women and eliminating gender inequalities in education, employment, decision making through the deployment and exploitation of ICT by building capacities and providing opportunities for girls and women   • Facilitate the development and implementation of the necessary legal, institutional and regulatory framework and structures required for supporting the deployment, utilization and the development of ICT as well as   • Facilitate the development and promotion of the necessary standards, good practices and guidelines to support the deployment and exploitation of ICT within the society and economy.   The purpose for the celebration is therefore to raise awareness of the need to collectively profit from the possibilities offered by ICTs; to encourage the private sector and civil society to work together to improve access to infrastructure, enforce capacities and increase confidence and safety in the use of ICT, to support and raise consciousness towards developing African cultures and cultural diversity.   Ghana has actualized this ICT4AD policy by implementing pan African network projects as demonstrated by the collaboration between the Government of Ghana and the Government of India to promote tele-medicine, tele-education and closer interaction with Heads of State across Africa and the rest of the world. The facilities of the projects are located at the University of Ghana, Legon as well as the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.     The country has also established direct fibre optic interconnection with Togo and Burkina Faso to provide broadband capacity for ICT development and empowerment to its people.   Markedly, during the pan African Regional Preparatory Meeting of ITU in Accra in September this year, the nation’s telecoms sector regulator National Communications Authority convened a meeting of radio spectrum managers within the sub-region to harmonize frequency allocation to avoid interference in cross-border situations for socio-economic development.   This is in recognition of the fact that Africa’s capability to accelerate its socio-economic development process and its ability to gain global competitiveness and improve the wellbeing of its people will depend very much on the extent to which it can develop, use, exploit and sell information, knowledge and technology in one form or another.   It also underlies the fact that information, knowledge and technology will only continue to become the key to move Africa’s industrially weak, subsistence agriculture based economy towards a knowledge economy if Africa develops and implements comprehensive integrated ICT-led socio-economic development policies, strategies and plans.   As Africa celebrates this year’s ICT week under the auspices of the Africa Union, we believe that if African countries and developing partners develop and implement the right sets of policies and action plans it will be possible for the continent to speed up its socio-economic development process through the development, deployment and exploitation of ICT within the economy and society without necessarily going through an extensive industrialization process.   (Issued by the Corporate and Consumer Affairs Division, National Communications Authority)   GNA  ...

Koforidua, Nov. 16, GNA – Occupants of storey buildings, housing shops and offices belonging to the New Juaben Municipal Assembly, in Koforidua, are fear gripped, following cracks and poor electrical wiring detected on those structures.     According to the occupants, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Koforidua on condition of anonymity, most of the shops and offices had developed cracks on the floor and walls within a short period of occupying the structures.       They appealed to the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Alex Asamoah, to take action to prevent the buildings from collapsing as it occurred to the Achimota-Accra Melcom Shopping Mall recently.   The New Juaben Assembly has several two-storey building and one of the structures houses the GNA Eastern Regional office.   The occupants had also expressed worry about defects on the building, including poor electrical wiring and waste system to the extent that water closet facilities could not be used.       A seamstress, who occupies one of the buildings, told GNA that she has been occupying the facility for the past four years, and had observed many cracks, particularly on the floor but the recent Melcom disaster has alarmed her and wanted the assembly to take action.      Another occupant also complained of poor electrical wiring that often resulted in power outages, which could cause disaster, and appealed to the assembly to rehabilitate the buildings.     GNA...

BEIJING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua/GNA) - A new generation of top Chinese leaders took the stage on Thursday in one of the world's most important power transitions, taking the helm of the ruling party of the world's second-largest economy and the most populous country. Xi Jinping was sworn in as general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to lead the seven-seat Political Bureau Standing Committee. The other six members of the top leadership of the Party's central leading organ are Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli. They were elected at the first plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee following the CPC's 18th National Congress. Their election marked a smooth top leadership transition following the 16th national congresses of the Party in 2002. The smooth transition suggests that the Party is moving steadily towards an established norm, regarding the handing over of power, which would be crucial for sustained stability and development of the country, analysts observed. "The new leaders are not ossified or conservative. Their election will ensure that China will continue with both reforms and the socialist path with Chinese characteristics, as they have witnessed, participated in and benefited from reforms and opening-up," said Xie Chuntao, a professor of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. The leaders made their debut upon their election at the Great Hall of the People under the spotlight of hundreds of reporters from across the world. Xi said they will take "the relay baton passed on to us by history" and make continued efforts to achieve the renewal of the Chinese nation. "We will rally and lead the whole Party and the people in making continued efforts to free our minds, carry out reforms and open up," Xi said. Xi noted that the Party faces many severe challenges and that there are many pressing problems within the Party, citing corruption, a separation from the people and bureaucracy. Amid global economic uncertainties and domestic complaints over the wealth gap, corruption and environmental woes with rising calls for deepened reform, analysts said China will face more challenges in the years to come. FROM THE PEOPLE The seven Standing Committee members of the Political Bureau have witnessed and endured China's vicissitudes and hardships over the last six decades, including the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Xi and Li were born in the 1950s, while the other five were born in the mid- to late 1940s. Xi, Li, Zhang Dejiang and Wang toiled in communes and villages during the Cultural Revolution, when millions of high school graduates were sent to rural areas to receive "re-education" from peasants and help with rural development. It was during their re-education that Xi and Li received their first official titles. Acting as the Party branch secretaries of their respective production brigades, they got the chance to learn administration at the grassroots level. Yu worked as a technician at a radio factory in the city of Zhangjiakou in north China's Hebei province for a few years, while Liu was a teacher before becoming a reporter at the Xinhua News Agency. Zhang Gaoli was a crane-man and loader at an oil company in south China's Guangdong province after graduating from university. Such experiences, analysts observed, gave them keen insight into China's situation and helped them understand the people's woes and expectations. Xi previously said that he received a great deal of guidance from two groups of people: the old generation of revolutionaries and the village people in Shaanxi, his ancestral home where he received seven years of "re-education." GOVERNANCE EXPERIENCE As observed by Professor Xie, the new generation of leaders have shown "capacity in controlling overall situations and tackling complicated emergencies" and "are well prepared for challenges and ready to take opportunities." All of them boast rich governance experience, climbing the Party cadre echelon step by step. Over his 40-year-long career, Xi left his footprint in both the comparatively underdeveloped inland and rural areas, such as a commune in Shaanxi province and Zhengding in Hebei province, as well as the more prosperous coastal Fujian and Zhejiang provinces and the country's financial and economic hub of Shanghai. Most of the new leaders have experience in governing frontier regions for reforms, while others are familiar with the situation in underdeveloped central and west regions. Analysts said the lineup will help the collective leadership to consider matters from an overall perspective when making decisions. In addition, as a result of long years of experience as local governors, they have also cultivated a down-to-earth work style. "Do it now" is Xi's motto. He always warns officials to perform services while keeping in mind that their official titles are in the hands of the people, instead of within their own grasp. THEORETICAL GROUNDING, GLOBAL VISION Unlike their predecessors, the new leaders grew up in a peaceful time, which offered them a chance to receive better education than previous generations. Notably, they received a complete and systematic education on the mainstream ideology of socialism, which had a formative effect on their views and values, said Dai Yanjun, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. The seven leaders have diverse higher learning backgrounds, varying from engineering to humanities. Xi holds a doctorate of law from the prestigious Qinghua University, where he also received education in chemical engineering after he returned to Beijing from Shaanxi. Li studied law at the elite Beijing University after he ended "re-education" in Anhui province. He later received a doctoral degree of economics from the university. These education opportunities equipped the leaders with a firm theoretical grounding. Xi has urged officials at various levels to "read some history" and learn to "seek the correct orientation and path from history." As witnesses and participants in ongoing globalization, the new leaders also have a broad vision and know how to deal with the international community. Xi Jinping made a successful visit to the United States in February this year. In a written interview with the Washington Post before his tour, the vice president said, "The vast Pacific Ocean has ample space for China and the United States." As vice premier, Li Keqiang visited the three European nations of Spain, Germany and Britain in January 2011. Prior to his visits, he wrote three articles that were published in influential newspapers in the countries, stating China's development orientation. Another vice premier, Wang Qishan was described by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson as a man who "enjoys philosophical debates and has a wicked sense of humor." RIGHT FORMULA According to the CPC's constitution, a Central Committee is elected at a national congress, which is held every five years. The Central Committee, usually with more than 300 full and alternate members, then elects its Political Bureau and the bureau's Standing Committee. More than 2,300 delegates to the national congress on Wednesday elected the 18th CPC Central Committee through secret ballots, who then voted on the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee on Thursday. Previously, a meeting of leading cadres was held in Beijing in May to nominate candidates of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee. In the eyes of Huang Yebin, a delegate to the Party congress, the new generation of leadership are "energetic, trustworthy and with both integrity and capacity." "I'm sure they will lead the nation to a prosperous society," Huang said. The CPC's National Congress was a widely watched agenda this year for "one of the world's most important power transitions" that followed it, as some foreign media said. Two authors co-published a comment in the Financial Times on Monday, which said that China "has developed the right formula for choosing political rulers that is consistent with China's culture and history and suitable for modern circumstances." Daniel Bell and Eric Li, a professor of political theory at Qinghua University in Beijing and a Shanghai-based venture capitalist, wrote in the British newspaper, "The Chinese political system has undergone significant change over the past three decades and it comes close to the best formula for governing a large country. "It (Chinese regime) should be improved on the basis of this formula, not western style democracy," they observed.  Caption General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xi Jinping (C) and the other newly-elected members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau Li Keqiang (3rd R), Zhang Dejiang (3rd L), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R), Liu Yunshan (2nd L), Wang Qishan (1st R), Zhang Gaoli (1st L) meet with journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 15, 2012. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi). GNA    ...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA - Mr Roland Agambire, Chief Executive Officer of Rlg Communications, said Rlg in collaboration with government would train 30,000 youth nationwide in the next phase of the Youth in ICT module to offer opportunity in job creation.   Mr Agambire said under the next phase of the module, more youth would be trained in both mobile phone repairs and computer assembling to constitute a significant base for the Enterprise Project intended to make young people economically viable and independent.   He said this on Friday in Accra at the 5th Graduation of the Rlg youth in mobile phone repairs and the launch of the commencement of the next phase of ICT module in 2013.   Mr Agambire said 1,300 youth in the Greater Accra Region were part of the 7,134 youth who formed the last batch of trainees who underwent training in ICT at the Rlg Institute of Technology and the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA) formerly of National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).   He said each graduand will receive a setup kit as part of the business process and be mentored to practice the trade, earn income and grow their business, in addition to making available a modernized workstation under a special micro financing scheme for interested graduands.   He said the trainees during the 6-Month mobile telephony certification programme were taken through courses like introduction to computers, mobile phones soft and hardware, basic electronics and entrepreneurship skills.   Mr Agambire said the Rlg Company employs over 1,500 permanent staff at its installations in Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia and China and looked forward to engaging 30,000 youth in its assembly plant after the expansion of the project.   He said in June 2012, Rlg had launched the Persons With Disability ICT Project to train 5,000 physically challenged persons and was due for completion in the next few weeks.   Mr Agambire said it was their plan that 2,500 of them would be committed to schools to assist in teaching and repair works under the basic school computerisation project being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education.      He urged the graduands to be hardworking, creative and disciplined and to dream big to succeed.   Mr Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister commended Rlg for the initiative, saying that it would compliment government's efforts  in providing the youth with jobs and contribute to socio-economic development.   Mr Agbo urged the graduants to show commitment in the success of the programme since it would help empower the youth to be business-oriented and provide decent livelihood to the youth.   Mr Abuga Pele, Executive Director of GYEEDA said the NYEP was transformed to GYEEDA to formalise inter-institutional relationships and build synergies between various agencies to support easy access of beneficiaries to the job market.   Mr Pele said the transformation also aimed at coordinating all youth employment and youth entrepreneurial development activities with the public and the private sector to ensure value delivery.      GNA...

Cape Coast, Nov.16, GNA-   Mr. Edward Ampratwum, a Senior Research Officer of The Ghana Centre for Development (CDD) and Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), on Friday said CODEO would deploy 4,000 non-partisan Election Day Observers to observe the December 7 polls.   He said these observers would be assigned to a nationally representative sample of approximately 4,000 polling stations randomly selected from the 275 constituencies   Mr Ampratwum made the announcement at a day’s training workshop organised by CODEO for Constituency supervisors in Cape Coast under the theme “Ghana’s election 2012: Civil society intervention towards peaceful and credible elections”.   The workshop   which is simultaneously taking place in all the regions, would provide an overview of CODEO’s Election 2012 project, its structure and management as well as plan training scheduled for the upcoming election observation exercise.   Mr Ampratwum described the December polls as crucial stressing that it would provide yet another test of maturity for Ghana’s democratic institutions and electoral processes and that its success was a shared responsibility of which CODEO takes very seriously.   He said for the second time in Ghana’s elections, it would be possible for CODEO to independently verify the accuracy of the official results that would be announced by the Electoral Commission (EC) through Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT).   He said at the end of the workshops a total of  280 constituency supervisors and 30 regional supervisors  would be trained to recruit the election observers nationwide.     GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 16, GNA. - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has expressed deep shock and sorrow over the passing of his friend and former Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Friday.   This was contained in a statement on Friday signed by Mr. Frank Agyekum, Spokesman and Special Aide to the former President and copied to the Ghana News Agency.   The statement said former President Kufuor had visited Alhaji Aliu Mahama while on admission at the hospital and was hopeful of his early recovery.   It stated that the former President described his former second-in-command as “a diligent worker, a gentleman and a friend whom I will miss dearly”.   “Aliu contributed significantly to the success of my government and was a pillar of strength in the New Patriotic Party. The void he has left will be too hard to fill. The NPP and the nation have lost a true patriot and unifier,” the statement said.         The former President said: “My heart goes out to his widow, Hajia Rahmatu, children and the entire family. I pray that they remain strong in these very trying times.”   “I join the entire NPP family to mourn this great stalwart of our tradition and hope that his demise will serve as a rallying call for all members to work hard for victory 2012,” he said.   “To the rest of the nation, I say lets close ranks and be guided always by our love of our common humanity,” the statement added.   GNA...

Winneba, Nov. 16, GNA – Twenty-one fishermen in Effutu Municipality have benefitted from the Micro Finance Small Centre (MASLOC) programme to boost fishing.   Six of the beneficiaries each paid for 40 horse power Yamaha outboard motors valued at GH¢ 49,000 against GH¢ 90,000 sold in the open market while the rest also paid for one each 15 horse power Yamaha outboard motors at a cost of GH¢ 42,000 against GH¢ 75,000 in the market.   Mr Mike Hammah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and also the Member of Parliament for the area who made the presentation in collaboration with some officials from MASLOC at a ceremony at Winneba,  said the machines were subsidized by the government as part of the Better Ghana Agenda to help enhance the work of the fishermen.   He said the government was committed to ensuring that every Ghanaian irrespective of his/her political affiliation had their fair share of the national cake, adding that he would continue to ensure that fishermen and farmers in the area benefit from innovations by the governmentr.   Nii Ephraim, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, said the government had put in place innovations to support agriculture by introducing farmer-based organizations and subsidized prices of inputs.   He appealed to fishermen in the area to form groups and register with the District Assembly through the Chief Fisherman to enable them operate as legal a entity to take advantage of many opportunities the government offers through the Assembly.   Neeyn Monikako, the Winneba Chief Fisherman and Mr John Quayson, the Central Regional Safe Landing Beach Project Coordinator, received the machines and thanked the government for its support for fishermen.     GNA...

Winneba, Nov. 16, GNA – Mr Mike Hammah, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has presented 10 hair dressing tools to 10 apprentices who excelled in both the National Vocational Training Institution and Ghana Hair Dressers and Beauticians (GHABA) proficiency examinations.   Two out of the 10 apprentices who sat the NVTI examination had distinctions.   Making the presentation at a graduation ceremony for 26 graduates at Winneba, Mr Hammah said the donation formed part of his social responsibilities to help them set up their own businesses.   He said he had been supporting vocational graduates in the area for the past two years to help reduce unemployment and poverty in the constituency.   He said vocational training contributes to the socio-economic development of the country, adding that there was the need for parents to invest in the skills training of their children who for one reason or the other could not further their education.   Mrs Florence Offeibea Ansah, Central Regional GHABA President, said the 26 graduates under took three years apprenticeship in hair dressing, adding that among the disciplines they undertook were oral English, pedicure, wevon, hair cutting styling and successfully passed GHABA school of cosmetology examinations as far as hair care was concerned.   She appealed to voters to vote for candidates who can improve their living conditions.   “The politicians must tell the people what they can do to move the country forward and stop the insults and personal attacks which can bring conflicts and chaos. Ghana needs peace and all must contribute to make it possible,” she said.   Mrs Rosemond Mends, President of the Winneba branch of GHABA thanked the Member of Parliament the donation and expressed the hope that he would continue to support vocational training graduates to set up their own businesses.       GNA...

Konongo (Ash), Nov. 16, GNA – Mr Jude Attuahene, Asante-Akim Central Parliamentary candidate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed optimism about his chances in the December 7 polls.        He says he has no doubt that, the seat that traditionally has remained a safe one for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), would change hands.        Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Konongo, he said the people were going to reward the NDC for the massive development projects seen in the area within the last four years.        He said Ghanaian voters were discerning and could not be taken for granted.        Mr Attuahene alleged that the NPP’s sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, had failed to meet the expectations of the people.        The MP’s performance, he said, had been poor and that calls for him to be voted out by the electorate.   GNA...