Thursday, July 31, 2008

BOSS FM ARRIVES IN KUMASI (PAGE 23)

By Kwame Asare Boadu

THE twentieth radio station in Kumasi, Boss FM, has arrived. It was inaugurated last Friday at the Golden Tulip Kumasi City Hotel.
The colourful event, which was attended by traditional rulers, some big shots in the radio and music industry as well as bosses in business and in politics appeared to match the name of the station.
Boss, operating on 93.7FM is targeted at people within the 25 and 50 years age bracket, English and Akan speaking people as well as those interested in learning more about Ghanaian culture.
Kumasi is one metropolis where the people love radio. Already the region boasts of Garden City Radio, OTEC , Kapital, Luv, Fox, Mercury, Ashh, Hello, Spirit, Kessben, Nhyira, Kesewaa, Nkosuo, Solid, Zuria, Angel, Ahenema, Light, Dove, Shaft (Obuasi), Mighty (Mampong), Kings and Virgin (Konongo), Sekyere (Effiduase), and now comes Boss.
Chief Executive Officer of the station, Mr Kwaku Owusu Asante, said his desire to further contribute to the development of the nation led to the establishment of the station.
Mr Asante, a successful businessman who is also the Chief Executive of Jawuu Construction and First Eye Enterprise in Accra and Kumasi, acknowledged the competition in the industry but said the station would make it to the top.
The board of directors has names like Mr B.T. Baba, chairman and president of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Mr George Kofi Bia, a Chartered Accountant, Mr Frank Yaw Appiah, an international marketing consultant and Ms Portia Owusu Asante, a UK-based business consultant.
Some of the presenters at the station are Kwaku Owusu Adjei formerly with Classic FM in Techiman (for the Morning Show), Kwaku Ahenkora ( Sports), Ralph Mc-Amoah (Drive Time) and Kofi Afrifa (Brunch Time).
The Tepahene, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, who was the special guest at the inauguration, thanked the management of the station for its vision and expressed the hope that the station would grow in the coming years. He asked journalists to show circumspection in their reportage as the nation prepares for elections in December.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

PREGNANT WOMEN ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE (PAGE 29)

THE Ashanti Regional Co-ordinator of the National Road Safety Committee, Mr Kwaku Oware-Boateng, has cautioned pregnant women against driving.
He said the practice, which was common in Kumasi, could easily cause accident, and also create medical problems for them.
Mr Oware-Boateng was speaking at a road safety education organised by his outfit at the Bantama SDA Church last Sunday.
He said his office was determined to send the message on road safety to the churches.
The co-ordinator said the rate of accidents in the region was a source of concern, and called on drivers to be extra careful on the road.
He also advised pedestrians to be cautious on the road to avoid being knocked down.
Mr Oware-Boateng, who demonstrated the use of the road to the congregation, said the church had a crucial role to play in bringing down the spate of accidents.
He also expressed concern about the way some parents put their children in the front seat of their vehicles when driving, and said this could also bring about accidents.
During an open forum, some members of the congregation called for regular interactions between the committee and the church because there were a lot of benefits in such meetings.
They commended the road safety committee for the meeting, and expressed the hope that they would put what they had learnt into practice.

MP SETS UP FUND FOR ADULT EDUCATION (PAGE 29)

THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama, Ms Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has set aside funds to support adults in her constituency who want to pursue further education.
She has consequently advised adults not to feel shy to go back to the classroom, saying, "even if you are 50 years old and you are determined to pursue knowledge, you can do it under the present circumstances".
Ms Dapaah expressed concern that since she made the facility known to the people nobody had gone forward to take advantage of it.
She was interacting with the Daily Graphic in Kumasi.
She said age was not a barrier to education, and that her constituents should move to upgrade themselves.
"It is regrettable that sometimes as an MP I want to help my constituents acquire jobs, only to find out that they lack the basic qualifications," she said.
Ms Dapaah who is also the Minister of State at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, said sanitation was key on her agenda, and that she would work with the people to further improve the sanitation situation in the constituency.
She disclosed that she had made available GH¢10,000 from her share of the MPs Common fund to serve as seed money for the rehabilitation of the toilet facilities at Bantama.
Meanwhile, the reconstruction of the Bantama Market has started, a couple of months after it was razed to the ground by fire.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is financing the project.
When the Daily Graphic visited the project site at the weekend, the contractor was busily working on the project.
One person was killed while several items belonging to traders were destroyed during the blaze which started at dawn.
Some of the traders who spoke to this paper commended the KMA for taking action to bring life back to the market.
They also commended the MP for the area for the love and support she gave to them.

FRALENA HERBAL PRODUCTS TAKES LEAD IN HERBAL MEDICINE (PAGE 29)

The health of the people determines a nation’s development ,and as such, apart from orthodox medicine, the government is endeavouring to intergrate traditional or herbal medicine into the health system.
In Kumasi, a company that is helping to promote the health of the people through herbal products is Fralena Herbal Products Limited.
Just like many other renowned enterprises that are contributing immensely to the development of the economy, Fralena started from scratch. The company started its operations from a kitchen in 1992 but today, it is one enterprise in Kumasi whose business is a major partner in Ghana's quest to make herbal medical practice a major contributor to the country's health delivery.
Fralena has over 60 range of herbal products.
Internationally, the company collaborates with the India Bacfo Pharmaceuticals and the O-Nice Company, a herbal cosmetics company in Thailand, for the production of its products.
Mr Frank Amoabeng the Managing Director of Fralena Herbal Products Ltd told the Daily Graphic that within two years India had exported herbal products worth $2 billion, and expressed the hope that Ghana could do even better than that if the right structures were put in place.
He said "Ghana is blessed, because research has revealed that 70 per cent of world medicinal plants can be found in this country of ours, so the herbal industry is one that can help this country grow if we give it the necessary attention".
One interesting thing is that Fralena products are well packaged and meet the requirements set by the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), hence they are sold in drug stores in the country.
The Ministry of Health, Mr Amoabeng said, had also asked Fralena for some of its drugs for possible adoption for prescription in health institutions.
"When I started this business with my wife, Helena, from her kitchen, many made a mockery of me because they did not understand why I should go into herbal practice when there were other businesses around.
"Now I can say that I am a very proud person because I am contributing in diverse ways towards the development efforts of my country through employment generation, provision of medically accepted herbal drugs, payment of taxes to my nation, among other things", Mr Amoabeng said.
Fralena Herbal Products Limited has offices in almost all the regions of the country.
The father of Mr Amoabeng, the late Opanin Kwaku Amoabeng, was a herbalist, but Mr Amoabeng said he did not learn directly from his father.
While in Paris, Mr Amoabeng studied under one Jean Claude Giraudeau, a Frenchman, who was into alternative medicine practice.
" On my return to Ghana in 1992, I did not want to make it my business, and I therefore decided to go into other businesses, but someone for whom I prescribed some herbal medication advised me to go into the practice as full time when he realised the efficacy of my prescriptions, " he said.
Mr Amoabeng said he consequently approached Prof. K. Oppong-Boachie at the Mampong Akuapem Research Centre into Plant Medicine and Dr Gottlied Kofi Naomesi, who did everything to encourage him to begin his herbal practice.
Mr Amoabeng said he used his wife's shop at Adum to sell the products, and did every other thing with her.
He went to the bush almost everyday to harvest the herbs but later employed a few hands to help him do that and also prepare the drugs.
What brought Fralena Ltd into the limelight was an outbreak of typhoid in Obuasi in the late 1990s.
"People came to me from Obuasi for medications and later someone suggested that I set up a shop in Obuasi, which I did, to treat typhoid and other diseases", he stressed.
Mr Amoabeng said because of the vision to grow the business, he and his wife denied themselves so many basic things and for the first six years, they refused to buy a private car.
With support from the Agricultural Development Bank, Mr Amoabeng started the new company’s premises at Ahenema Kokobeng in Kumasi.
Some massive infrastructure development is going on at the site, with the view to expanding the business which would see staff strength growing appreciably from the current 64.
The company has set up a herbarium to provide raw materials for the production of herbal products.
He stressed the need for individuals and companies into herbal medicinal practice to take packaging very seriously and deal with the FDB to ensure that they met the required standards.
Mr Amoabeng also exuded confidence that herbal practice had the capacity to find a cure for the deadly HIV/AIDS.
He welcomed the creation of a department of herbal practice by the Ministry of Health and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology's establishment of a faculty for herbal medicine, and said this was a testimony to the government's commitment to improving the system.
Mr Amoabeng called on the government to consider organising a herbal fair where herbalists, who were in the hinterlands and were not known, would come out so that they could be assisted to serve the nation better.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

ITTIHAD PLAYERS VANDALISE BABA YARA (GRAPHIC SPORTS, BACK PAGE)

THE ultra-modern Baba Yara Stadium suffered the first act of vandalism last Sunday when, unable to withstand the pain of bowing out of the CAF Confederation Cup after playing so well, players of Libya's Al-Ittihad went wild and destroyed facilities at the dressing room.
An LG television set, the sink and an electric duct were vandalised in a fit of rage.
A source at the National Sports Council (NSC) told the Graphic Sports that officials of A-Ittihad duly signed documents accepting responsibility for the destruction. However, payment of the cost of damage would have to be handled at the diplomatic level.
Consequently the NSC in Kumasi would officially write to the Ghana Football Association today for the necessary action to be taken.
It all started when referee Tralousi Abuaz brought proceedings to a close, and Asante Kotoko qualified for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Kotoko won 3-1 in a tight second leg game, qualifying on a 4-3 aggregate, and players of the Libyan team turned their fury on the referee and his assistant, Mr Maloukhi, for what they perceived to be biased officiating against them.
One policeman who was amongst others protecting the match officials from the angry Al-Ittihad players was also not spared as he received a slap from a player.
The police gave the offending player a chase with a view to arresting him, but he dribbled everybody to enter the tunnel leading to the dressing room after which the destruction started.
Al-Ittihad claimed the first goal scored by Kotoko's Eric Bekoe was from an offside position, whilst the 54th minute disallowed goal by striker, Walis, was a perfect one and should have been made to stand.
On the strength of the performance Al-Ittihad put up, they believed that they did not deserve to lose but they should be the first to admit that they played against a side with a traditional fighting spirit, which sometimes confounds human understanding. It was a very difficult and close match, but with thousands of their supporters cheering them on it was difficult for Kotoko to succumb to the Al-Ittihad threat.
Coach Johnson Smith said "Al-Ittihad came with a plan to disorganise our game, but we had other ideas and I'm happy that the fighting spirit and tactical discipline prevailed".
Kotoko clearly deserved to be ahead in the early minutes when they opened fire from all fronts, with Francis Coffie in fantastic shape.
And when Bekoe scored that classic goal by racing into the path of a long ball to beat the impressive Libyan national keeper, Samir Abbud, many believed it was going to be "cool chop'.
But the fight back was great from Al-Ittihad who ,even though went down 2-0 after 62 minutes, managed to pull one back with just ten minutes to go, only for Bekoe to win the day for Kotoko from the penalty spot in the 97th minute.
Clearly, the absence of Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Samuel Inkoom and Harrison Afful affected Kotoko, but the experience of Godfred Yeboah at the back was great.
Kotoko need to work hard as they enter the group phase where they meet crack sides JS Kabylie of Algeria, El-Merrick of The Sudan, and Etoile Sahel of Tunisia in their group.
Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad had lodged a protest with CAF against the fielding of Godfred Yeboah in last Sunday's match.
They claimed the player who was transferred from Kotoko to Wa All Stars in the middle of the Ghanaian league was not registered again by Kotoko and was therefore unqualified to play.

WOMAN, 25, JAILED FOR ARMED ROBBERY (PAGE 3)

A 25-year-old woman at Anloga in Kumasi, Angelina Afedzie, has been jailed 10 years by a High Court for robbery.
Angelina, who conspired with three men to rob a woman of her belongings on the night of December 10, 2007, pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and the court sentenced her accordingly.
The police said the complainant in the case, Cecilia Adu, lived at Konkromase in Kumasi.
They said about 9.45 p.m. on December 10, last year, the complainant went to the Ahodwo Junction to board a taxi for the Asafo Neoplan Station en route to Accra.
Cecilia met Angelina at the junction and not long afterwards a taxi arrived and both women sat at the back.
There were two other passengers, both men, already in the taxi and a few metres away from the junction Angelina prompted the driver to stop for her to alight from the vehicle.
According to the police, when Angelina got down from the vehicle, the driver drove towards the Ahodwo Roundabout where the occupants attacked the complainant and snatched her bag containing various items and cash.
They then threw her out of the taxi and sped off.
The police stated that the complainant lodged a complaint with the police at Ridge in Kumasi.
On her way back, the complainant saw Angelina at the Ahodwo Roundabout and immediately suspected her of being part of the robbery gang that attacked her.
With the help of a police patrol team, Angelina was arrested and handed over to the Ridge Police.
Upon interrogation, she admitted being part of the gang and mentioned the names of the others as Akwasi Domenu, alias Nti Kuma, Kofi and Ebo.
She revealed that it was Kofi who had introduced her to robbery and consequently led the police to arrest him, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge and has been remanded into prison custody.

Monday, July 28, 2008

FOOD PRICES DROP IN ASHANTI (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, LEAD STORY)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THERE has been a significant improvement in the food situation in the Ashanti Region resulting in a slump in prices of the major staples.
This has come about as a result of the beginning of the harvesting season for yams, maize, plantain, cocoyam, cassava and cowpea.
Months of increased food prices brought all forms of hardships to the people of the region.
Officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) predicted that prices would go down further in the coming days as harvesting progresses.
They, however, indicated that the rate of decline in prices would depend on other factors that went into production and sales.
These include, the cost of fertilizers, insecticides and transportation among others.
Statistics at the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of MOFA in Ashanti indicated that the price of a100 kg bag of maize now sells at GH¢58.4p as against GH¢83 last month.
An average bunch of plantain currently sells on the market at GH¢ 3 as against GH¢ 5 in the first quarter of the year.
The price of yam and cocoyam were not available at the MOFA office but Graphic Nsempa’s investigations at the Asafo and the Kumasi central markets revealed that five average sized tubers of the yam cost GH¢ 5 as against GH¢7.50 about a month ago.
For cocoyam, a mini basket which cost GH¢7 about a month ago now sells at GH¢4.
Some market women who spoke to this paper indicated that sales of yams had improved with the coming of the fresh produce.
Commenting on the situation, the head of the Monitoring and Evaluation department of MOFA in Ashanti, Mr Eric Fofie, said from all indications the region would record a bumper harvest for all the major staples this year.
He said production of yam at Ejura for instance is expected to be very heavy in the coming weeks as harvesting continued.
Mr Fofie said his outfit supported a number of farmers with various inputs this farming season to enable them improve their output.

OLD TAFO/PANKRONO TO GET NEW POLICE HEAD OFFICE (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, PAGE 21)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

VERY soon the police at Old Tafo/Pankrono in Kumasi would have new offices.
Work on the divisional/district headquarters of the police is progressing fast and the contractors have assured that everything would be done to complete the work on schedule.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, facilitated and lobbied for the project, which is being financed by the government.
It has been on the priority list of the MP to see to the completion of the project to help improve security in the area.
According to the special assistant to the MP, Mr J.K. Owusu-Boakye alias Abito, the rate of progress of the project was testimony to the MP’s resolve to ensure that all public projects initiated in the area were completed on schedule.
He said the first phase of the project would be inaugrated by the end of October, this year.
Mr Owusu-Boakye called on the people to support the MP and the government to bring more development projects to the area.

FINATRADE COMMENDED FOR FARM PROJECT (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, PAGE 4)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has commended Finatrade Group for its move to encourage agriculture graduates of the university to take up farming as a full time employment.
Prof. K.K. Adarkwa, vice chancellor of the university said the Finatrade initiative was one of the best things to happen to the university.
Finatrade chalked another first last Wednesday with the launch of a collaborative farm project with the KNUST called, ‘Finatrade Foundation Model Farm Project’.
Four universities submitted proposals for sponsorship of the project but KNUST was chosen because they produced a good proposal with a good budget.
The project is expected to train agriculture graduates in practical agriculture to make them well equipped to take up farming as a business.
Finatrade presented GH¢50,000 to the university to serve as seed money for the project.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the KNUST is representing the university in the project.
Prof Adarkwa said the Finatrade gesture would greatly complement government efforts at changing the face of agriculture in the country for the better.
He noted the tremendous support Finatrade was giving to the Faculty of Agriculture and said, “Since 2005, Finatrade Foundation has provided five scholarships each year to needy but brilliant students of the faculty”.
“I am informed that so far 20 students have benefited from this assistance, each receiving GH¢500 per annum for the duration of their studies as long as they are in good academic standing”, he said.
Prof Adarkwa said the problem of means of transport to convey students to and from the farm for practical training had been solved with the acquisition of a 58-seater TATA bus.
The bus, he said, was purchased through financial contributions of the students themselves and the faculty.
Prof Adarkwa said the KNUST had recently introduced a students’ financial assistance scheme for which funds are solicited from philanthropists and corporate bodies.
The accumulated funds are used to assist needy but brilliant students in their academic work and added that so far the GET Fund is the major contributor.
The chairperson of Finatrade Group, Ms Joyce Aryee, gave the assurance that the foundation would continue to encourage the youth especially those from the universities to embrace farming as a viable full time employment venture.
“We want to portray through this project that it is good as well as profitable to engage in farming”, she said and therefore called on well meaning Ghanaians to go into agriculture and resolve never to look back.
She noted that developing the human resource base for increased production in the agricultural sector was very important if the nation was to move forward in its development efforts.
Ms Aryee pointed out that it was regrettable that in spite of the large arable lands, the nation was unable to meet its food production targets.
This, she noted, called for a paradigm shift in the nation’s approach to agriculture development.
She said the unemployment situation could minimise if the youths were made to take up farming.
Mrs Aryee stated that Finatrade has been supporting other sectors of the economy grow and pledged that this would continue with all seriousness.
He mentioned the partnership with the Graphic Communications Group Limited to help propagate relevant information about democracy, education, health, water and sanitation, as well as other socio-economic activities in the country.
She said 3000 copies of Graphic Nsempa are circulated every week at the instance of Finatrade Foundation.
In attendance was Mr John Awuni and Dr Kobina Quamoh, all of Finatrade Foundation.

AMANSIE WEST EXCELS IN CHIPS IMPLEMENTATION (PAGE 3)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Manso Nkwanta

EFFECTIVE implementation of the Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHIPS) programme by the Amansie West District Assembly has received commendation from the management of the programme.
Mr Santua Niagia, the communications adviser of CHPIS said the district had performed creditably and needed to be encouraged to do more for the benefit of the people.
He was speaking at a day’s meeting with representatives of five districts from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions currently engaged in the programme.
The districts are Ahafo Ano South, Bosomtwe, and Amansie West all in the Ashanti Region, and the Asutifi and Sene districts in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He noted that CHIPS is the bedrock of the Ghana Health Service’s strategy to improve access to primary health care services in the communities.
District Chief Executives, Presiding Members, District Disease Control Officers, Community Development Officers, District Planning Officers and chairpersons of Social Services Sub Committees of the assemblies attended the meeting.
Mr Niagia called on communities that are benefiting from CHIPS to take advantage of it to help reduce infant and maternal deaths.
Mr Ben Kwakye-Adeefe, the DCE for Amansie West, said effective collaboration between the district assemblies and the health authorities could ensure the continued success of the programme.
He stressed the need for the implementing districts to continue to collaborate and share ideas for the success of the programme.
Mr Kwakye-Adeefe disclosed that the district assembly had completed 12 clinics, eight of them operating the CHIPS.
The participants suggested to CHIPS to use the Amansie West District as a study centre for future CHIPS programmes in the northern sector of the country.

ADUANA STARS TO GAIN HEAVILY FROM ABANGA (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Dormaa Ahenkro

DORMAA Aduana Stars are on the verge of reaping heavily from their former player, Kofi Abanga.
The midfielder now with Hearts of Oak is likely to join Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ittifac, next season.
Reports have it that the transfer fee would be in the region of $1 million.
Aduana Stars are entitled to 40 per cent of the onward transfer of the player from Hearts.
This was agreed upon when the division one side transferred Abanga to Hearts of Oak at the beginning of the just-ended season.
And what a windfall it would be for Aduana when all goes well for the player.
What would go to Aduana would perhaps be the biggest amount any first division side in the Brong Ahafo Region had ever received in a player transfer.
In Dormaa Ahenkro where the club is worshipped by almost the entire community, supporters of the club are praying that everything goes through for the player so that he realises his dream to play professional soccer outside the country while Aduana also get their share of the transfer sum.
Abanga who left Accra for Saudi Arabia at the weekend for medicals is expected to be cleared to enable him feature for the Saudi division one side.
The transfer of Abanga from Aduana to Hearts was beset with a lot of controversy.
The player who initially trained with Hearts of Oak, changed his mind and decided to play for Asante Kotoko.
In fact, a news conference was organised in his family house in Kumasi where he publicly declared his decision to feature for Asante Kotoko and no other club.
Quite surprisingly, just after the news conference, he was whisked away by unidentified people to Accra only to tell journalists that he had changed his mind and that Aduana should negotiate with Hearts of Oak for his transfer to the Phobians.
The Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, who is the Life Patron of Aduana, went into the controversy and said the player was for Hearts and not Kotoko.
Since joining Hearts, Abanga had proved a real workaholic in the middle department of the game and no wonder he caught the eyes of the Saudi club.

WHERE NEXT, ARHIN DUAH? (GRAPHIC NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

AS striker Nana Arhin-Duah looks set to part ways with Kumasi Asante Kotoko, many are wondering where he would eventually find himself.
The bulky striker who has been with Kotoko for some six years, has indicated his readiness to leave the club.
He had officially written to the management of the club and it is likely that he would leave any moment from now.
Arhin-Duah who is about 27 years of age had not seen much playing time this season.
He lost his position when Kotoko recruited strikers Eric Bekoe, Kojo Poku and Kwabena Yaro at the beginning of the just- ended national football season.
It is still not known which club the striker would join in the coming season.
As usual the rumours have started linking him to Liberty Professionals, King Faisal and Kessben F/C.
Whoever signs the player can make good use of him, since he still has some football in him.
But he needs to shed some weight and under-go serious training to rediscover his fearsome striking ability.
Arhin-Duah scored several important goals for Asante Kotoko.
Indeed, he was almost always enterprising against Kotoko’s bitterest rivals, Hearts of Oak.

KOTOKO MAKE IT TO MONEY ZONE (BACK PAGE)

IT looked so scary, but Kumasi Asante Kotoko lived up to prediction, putting their feet on the winning podium to book a place in the lucrative group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup when they beat Al-Ittihad at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi yesterday.
Kotoko who had to do without three players — Osei Kuffuor, Samuel Inkoom and Harrison Afful — for various reasons swept past an improved Al-Ittihad 3-1 (4-3 aggregate) to enter the group stage for the second time.
Generally there was little to celebrate with respect to skills and talent, but the goals made the difference.
Kotoko turned on the style right after kick-off with the left-footed Francis Coffie coming up with a brilliant individual effort, but unfortunately missed target. It looked like Kotoko were in control of the game as they drifted to the left wing where Coffie was in terrific shape and created openings in the Al-Ittihad half.
But just as the visiting team moved to maintain a strong presence in the middle department, leading scorer, Eric Bekoe, fired Kotoko ahead with an exquisite strike after 10 minutes.
The striker pounced on a long pass, and on seeing brilliant keeper Samir Abbud closing in on him, he cleverly swept the ball through a small opening into the near post.
Responding with long balls their tall strikers, Mohammed Zobya threatened with a piercing header which Burkinabe international goalkeeper, Soulama Abdulai, pushed to corner.
Zobya's effort signalled the determination of the visitors to cause an upset in Kumasi, and they controlled well on the pitch made slippery by an earlier downpour.
The Kotoko back line of Godfred Yeboah, George Asare, Osei Kwame and Prince Anokye kept surveillance on Zobya, Walis and Riyad who kept threatening. Fast-improving midfielder, Jordan Opoku, who oiled the Kotoko middle with sheer speed and body swerves, was unlucky as his effort in the 29th minute hit the post after keeper Abbud had made a fruitless attempt to grab the ball.
Two substitutions by the Libyan side in the 40th and 53rd minutes improved life in their game as Pierre Koulibaly and Ahmed Zuway, who came on for Djam and Zobya respectively, showed form.
Fifty-four minutes into the game, Al-Ittihad managed to put the ball into the net but Tunisian referee Tralousi Abuaz overruled the goal as assistant referee Malouki flagged Walis offside. They protested fiercely, claiming it was a perfect goal but the referee stuck to his guns.
When Kotoko were finding it difficult to create the necessary openings, the workaholic Jordan Opoku doubled the scores for Kotoko on the 62nd minute with a cracking grounder from some 20 yards out.
Undaunted, Al-Ittihad probed for a goal but keeper Soulama stopped every ball until the 80th minute when Koulibaly found some space past him after slipping through a host of opponents to nod home.
Kotoko appeared to lack the pace and attacking bite to open up the Libyan defence but a stormy attack on 87th minute saw an Ittihad player handling the ball in the box for a penalty and Bekoe stepped forward to beat the agile keeper Abbud for the winner.
Kotoko: Soulama Abdulai, Godfred Yeboah, George Asare, Osei Kwame, Prince Anokye, Nii Adjei, Francis Akwaffo/Stephen Oduro, Jordan Opoku, Eric Bekoe, Kwabena Yaro/Ofosu Amoah, Francis Coffie/Isaac Anderson.
Al-Ittihad: Samir Abbud, Mahmoud Sharfer, Hashan/Yohan Shaban, Osama Hammdi, Djam Roland/Koulibaly, Mohamed Esnai, Walis, Riyad Allafi, Arafa Alkuaa, Mohammed Zobya/Zuway.

Friday, July 25, 2008

KOTOKO'S LAST TANGO ...To enter the money zone (GRAPHIC SPORTS, LEAD STORY)

KUMASI Asante Kotoko are aiming to go one step better in their continental campaign — into the money zone — on Sunday, and I can imagine how Kumasi will explode in the aftermath of the game.
When they line up at the Baba Yara Stadium against Libya’s Al-Ittihad in a second leg final qualifier for the group stage, a huge opportunity will also be presented the Porcupine Warriors to back their claim that they were robbed of victory in the first leg.
Kotoko have attributed their 2-1 first leg defeat to Al-Ittihad to controversial officiating, and when they move for the final leap towards the group stage, they do so with a mission to recover from that “robbery” and make a strong case of their resolve to clinch the ultimate.
On paper Al-Ittihad do not look the side to shatter the dreams of Kotoko, but the intricacies in football demand caution in such situations.
Kotoko go into the game minus three key players – Osei Kuffuor, Harrison Afful and Samuel Inkoom – but the spirit in camp points to a typical Asante Kotoko fighting game on Sunday.
Kotoko’s drive up to this stage of the competition had been impressive, and when they play at their favourite Baba Yara Stadium they look even more terrific.
“We have a mission to fulfil this season and we are on course”, Sylvester Asare Owusu, CEO of Asante Kotoko said.
The wealth of continental experience has been a key ingredient in Kotoko’s continental championship dream, and taking the cup will be a realistic target. But the temptation to dismiss the Libyan champions can be dangerous.
Although the 1-2 loss in Tripoli places them in a shaky search for a berth in the next stage of the competition, a lot will depend on the quality of play of Kotoko, especially how they convert their chances.
Al-Ittihad can confound the Ghanaian champions if underrated. A side that is so determined to become a force in continental club football cannot be taken for granted.
Perhaps Kotoko must approach the game with a humble attitude, ready to work hard without carrying themselves as better than the Libyans.
Assistant coach Johnson Smith is the man everybody is looking up to devise the strategy that would topple Al-Ittihad.
On the face value, it looks difficult to find suitable replacements for the two intelligent defenders, Harrison and Inkoom, but Smith has given the assurance to fill the vacuum to be created.
Expectations are that Osei Kwame Jnr and Godfred Yeboah will take up the roles. Godfred is an experienced player who has the guts to meet the challenges.
With Daniel Nii Adjei, Eric Bekoe, Kwabena Yaro, George Asare and the members of the squad battle-ready, Kotoko cannot afford to let the nation down.

FINATRAD, KNUS LAUNCH MODEL FARM PROJECT (PAGE 25)

THE Finatrade Foundation and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have launched a collaborative farm project dubbed ‘Finatrade Foundation Model Farm Project’, with a pledge by the foundation to encourage the youth to take up farming as a viable full-time employment venture.
The Chairperson of the foundation, Ms Joyce Aryee, who made the pledge last Wednesday, said the efforts of her outfit at developing the human resource for increased production in the agricultural sector would set a good example for Ghanaian farmers to follow.
At the launch, Finatrade presented a cheque for GH¢50,000 to boost the project, whose main focus is to train graduates of Agriculture to be well equipped to contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture and the attendant food security for the country.
It will also provide an alternative source of income for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) of KNUST and further serve as a facility for applied research.
The KNUST is participating in the project through the CANR.
Ms Aryee called for a paradigm shift in the nation’s approach to agricultural development, saying that even with abundant arable land, the nation had not been able to benefit from the worsening global food situation, while the reduction in import duties on food had not been able to alleviate the hardships on the people.
She touched on unemployment amongst the youth and said Finatrade Group believed that farming could serve as the answer to the problem.
The Finatrade chairperson stated that over the years the foundation had launched several initiatives to support the various sectors of the economy, including a scholarship scheme to support brilliant, needy students at the faculties of Agriculture in the four public universities in the country.
The scholarship, launched four years ago, had so far benefited 66 students.
Another initiative was the partnership with the Graphic Communications Group Limited to help propagate relevant information on democracy, education, health, water and sanitation and other relevant socio-economic activities in the country.
She said 3,000 copies of Graphic Nsempa, a community newspaper, are circulated every week, courtesy the Finatrade Foundation.
The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. K. K. Adarkwa, commended the foundation for the gesture and expressed the hope that it would help change the attitude of young graduates towards agriculture.
He said the CANR had acquired a 58-seater bus to convey students to and from the farm and assured Finatrade that he would take a personal interest in the project to ensure its success.

SUPREME COURT SETS ASIDE 17-YEAR-OLD RULING ASIDE (PAGE 21)

THE Supreme Court has, by a 3-2 majority decision, set aside a 17-year-old ruling by the Court of Appeal that imposed a day's prison sentence on Nana Osei Kwadwo II, at the time the Omanhene of the Bekwai Traditional Area in the Ashanti Region.
This followed a criminal appeal filed by the ex-Omanhene against the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which led to the PNDC government withdrawing its recognition of him in 1991.
A certified true copy of the Supreme Court ruling, titled, “The Republic Versus Nana Osei Kwadwo II”, dated July 11, 2008, said, “The appeal is allowed, the conviction and sentence of the appellant is set aside.”
The court further ordered that a fine imposed on Nana Osei Kwadwo by the Court of Appeal, if paid, should be refunded to him.
Justices Kpegah, Atuguba and Sophia Akuffo, according to the certified true copy of the ruling, ruled in favour of the appeal, while Justices Georgina Wood and Dr Date-Bah dissented.
The whole matter started in 1990 when two king makers of Bekwai levelled charges of illegal collection of tolls from settler cocoa farmers against Nana Osei Kwadwo, then the substantive Omanhene.
The case went to the circuit court in Kumasi and the Omanhene was found guilty and fined ¢50,000 (now GH¢5).
Nana Osei Kwadwo appealed against the decision of the lower court at the High Court and at the end of the day won the appeal.
However, in 1991, the two king makers proceeded to the Court of Appeal where the two judgements given by the Circuit Court and the High Court were set aside and the Omanhene sentenced to a day's imprisonment, in addition to a fine of ¢100,000 (now GH¢10).
After his conviction, the then government withdrew recognition of him and asked him to hand over all stool property to the then PNDC District Secretary, to which he complied.
Nana Osei Kwadwo proceeded to the Supreme Court on a criminal appeal, which he won on July 11, 2008.

OLD TAFO/PANKRONO GET DISTRICT POLICE OFFICE (PAGE 30)

CONSTRUCTION of an ultra-modern district/divisional police headquarters for Old-Tafo/Pankrono in Kumasi is progressing steadily.
The two-storey building, located at the Moro Market in Tafo-Nhyiaeso, being financed by the government is expected to solve the office accommodation problems facing the police in the area.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, lobbied for the construction of the police headquarters.
Conducting the Daily Graphic round the project, the special assistant to the MP, Mr J. K. Owusu-Boakye, said security of the people was dear to the heart of Dr Osei.
Consequently, he said Dr Osei would do everything possible to support the security agencies to enable them to operate effectively in the constituency.
Mr Owusu-Boakye aka Abito said enhanced security would enable the people of the area to go about their daily activities without any fear of attack from criminals.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the project and commended the contractor for doing a good job so far.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

AL-ITTIHAD CAN'T STAND IN KOTOKO'S WAY (GRAPHIC SPORTS PAGE 17)

KUMASI Asante Kotoko may be brandishing a deadly weapon ready to outgun Libya's Al-Ittihad at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday.
Just after their official crowning as Ghana's champion club, Asante Kotoko shift focus to the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday, which they have vowed to annex to underline their resolve to make the season a complete success.
Kotoko are convinced that apart from meeting a relatively less-fancied side in Al-Ittihad, they have built a team that has the ability to break the jinx surrounding the club and win of continental club competitions since they last became Africa Champions in 1983.
On the strength of the form the Porcupine Warriors showed in Tripoli, they must be rated high and above the Libyan champions.
Indeed Al-Ittihad who won narrowly by 2-1 in the first leg final qualifier for the group stage may have found an uncomfortable opponent in Kotoko who look so eye-red to sweep past the Libyan champions.
Even though the star quality of the Kotoko team seems diminished by the absence of 3 first choice players, that has not epitomized a frustrated team.
Skipper Osei Kuffuor and right back, Samuel Inkoom, are ruled out of the game on grounds of suspension, whilst left back Harrison Afful is out there in Holland chasing a contract.
Assistant coach, Johnson Smith, is determined to pep up the team for a great show to facilitate passage into the group stage of the competition.
However, the match presents a huge test for the stand-in coach who will come under pressure to perform as Kotoko could not afford an ignominious exit.
Reflecting on the first leg game in Tripoli, Kotoko CEO, Sylvester Asare Owusu said, "It was a disgrace for referring in Africa".
"Even though we did not find the quality in the Libyan side, we are not going to take chances and will go all out to ensure victory", Sylvester said.
Indeed the temptation to dismiss Al-Ittihad outright could be dangerous. Although Kotoko's crowning as Ghana's champions must have boosted their confidence, a lot will depend on their output on Sunday.
Al-Ittihad are reportedly coming to Kumasi with three top players who missed the first leg because they went on trials with some foreign clubs.
A side with 14 national players, including some slippery attackers, cannot be taken lightly because on a good day they could be deadly.
The Kotoko defence against King Faisal last Sunday was not the best and the two penalties they conceded attested to the fact there is some work to do, especially as they will be missing Harrison and Inkoom.
This means Osei Kwame Jnr, Godfred Yeboah and George Asare would have to work extra hard to keep the Ittihad attack at bay.
But the real focus will be on the attack led by Eric Bekoe. A real class player, Bekoe must let his influence tell positively upfront.
Nothing but total victory would convince Kotoko supporters that the team is ready to take the cup.

TEPA JUNCTION-GOASO ROAD AWARDED ON CONTRACT (PAGE 30)

AT long last the government has awarded the Tepa Junction–Goaso road on contract for asphalting.
The about 80km road has been in a poor state since the period of the NDC government.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo North, Mr Robert Sarfo-Mensah, said in an interview with the Daily Graphic at Goaso that the project was very dear to the government and it would, therefore see to its execution.
The MP said the contract for the project fell under the government’s priority roads improvement programme.
He indicated that by the award of the contract, the NPP government had once again demonstrated that it had the development of the Ahafo area at heart.
Ahafo produces a sizeable quantity of Ghana’s cocoa and timber, as well as staples such as plantain, cassava and cocoyam.
Besides, the discovery of gold at Kenyasi and other adjoining areas, which has led to the establishment of the Newmont Gold Mining Company, is gradually opening up the area for development
The deplorable state of the Tepa Junction–Goaso road, which links up with the main Sunyani-Kumasi road, has, however, been a major headache for the people.
Mr Sarfo-Mensah urged the people to rally behind the government as it moved to initiate more development projects in the area.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asunafo North, Alhaji Abubakar Bonsu, has stated that a number of feeder roads in the area were undergoing reconstruction and rehabilitation under various government programmes.
He mentioned the Akrodie Junction–Goaso, Akrodie-Asumura, Gambia No 2–Kyeremasu, Goaso-Ayomso and Mim-Kasapin roads as some of the projects being executed to make life a bit comfortable for the people.
Alhaji Bonsu told the Daily Graphic that never in the history of the municipality had so many projects sprang up as was being witnessed under the NPP administration.
He also disclosed that plans were far advanced to award roads in Goaso on contract.

Monday, July 21, 2008

HISTORIC ...Okyehene to visit Dormaa (NSEMPA, LEAD STORY(

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Dormaa Ahenkro

THE Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, will make a historic visit to Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo Region on July 30, this year.
The visit, the first of its kind by any Okyehene, is meant to thank the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeayo Agyemang Badu II, for electing a representative to attend the launch of the book, “The Royal Akyem Kingdom”, in Accra recently.
It would also afford the two traditional rulers the opportunity to share ideas on the development of the chieftaincy institution in the country.
Osagyefo Agyemang Badu who confirmed the impending visit to Graphic Nsempa said the Okyenhene would be arriving at Dormaa Ahenkro with retinue of 40.
A durbar would be organised in honour of Osagyefo Ofori Panin at the Abrampradease Palace at Dormaa Ahenkro and feverish preparations are underway at Dormaa Ahenkro to give the Okyenhene a rousing welcome.
The Dormaa Traditional Area is the biggest traditional area in the Brong Ahafo Region.
It is one of the movers of the chieftaincy institution in the region, having led the agitation for the creation of the region in 1959 under the late Osagyefo Oseadeayo Dr Agyemang Badu.
Apart from covering the entire Dormaa East and Dormaa West districts, the traditional area also extends to parts of the Sunyani Municipality and the Tano North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The traditional area is noted for its cocoa, timber and food crop production.
The current Dormaahene, a circuit court judge, has brought some dynamism to the stool he occupies, having established a scholarship scheme for needy brilliant people in his area.
Since he ascended the stool about eight years ago, he has travelled to Europe and the United States to meet Dormaa citizens and solicit for funds to supplement the government’s efforts at developing the area.
A number of people at Dormaa Ahenkro see the visit of the Okyenhene as welcome news.
According to them the two traditional rulers are held in high esteem in the country and their meeting could bring something positive to the two traditional areas.

KOTOKO TO MISS 3 TOP PLAYERS AGAINST AL-ITTIHAD (NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

KUMASI Asante Kotoko go into battle against Libya’s Al-Ittihad in the second leg final qualifier for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday, without three top players.
Defender Harrison Afful is in Holland chasing a contract with Feyenoord, while his defensive partner, Samuel Inkoom ,and skipper Emmanuel Osei Kuffour are on suspension for attracting two yellow cards and a red card respectively.
That notwithstanding, expectations are very high in Kumasi as the fans are already predicting 3-0 and 4-0 score lines.
Kotoko, who lost 1-2 in the first leg in Tripoli, have the advantage of making it to the next stage, and judging by their pedigree on the continent, it looks like the Porcupine Warriors would advance.
The two, times African champions played very well in Tripoli and but for poor officiating they would have at least returned home with a draw.
Club football, however, has undergone changes and today no side should be taken for granted.
Having lost the final of the 2004 competition to bitter rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak, before thousands of their fans in Kumasi, Kotoko believe that this is an opportunity for them to make amends.
Since that loss to Hearts of Oak, Kotoko have haboured an agenda to grab the trophy and this year is a fine opportunity for them to realise their ambition, looking at their fine form.
They management of the club has promised to do everything to motivate the team to enable them win on Sunday.
Sylvester Asare Owusu, CEO of Asante Kotoko, said, even though many of their supporters see Sunday’s match as a done deal, management thought otherwise because anything could happen in football.
Consequently, they were doing getting their act together to make victory a surety.
With Harrison and Inkoom out of the game, fans should expect Osei Kwame Jnr and Godfred Yeboah to man the left and right back positions.
Players like Daniel Nii Adjei, Kwabena Yaro, Eric Bekoe and Kwame Obeng Darko would all be available on Sunday and much is expected of them.
Top striker, Bekoe, must be extra sharp on the day to fetch the needed goals.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

HEALTH OFFICER INVOKES DEITY TO KEEP RAPE VICTIM MUTE (PAGE 35)

From Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE Police are investigating a case in which the Health Information Officer of the Bekwai Government Hospital, Francis Aboagye Mireku, allegedly defiled a 12-year-old girl and invoked the spirit of a local deity , Asuo Nyanta, to kill the girl, if she dared divulge the incident to anyone.
The 44-year-old man had denied the allegation but was in police custody in Kumasi pending further investigation.
The girl divulged the incident while watching an HIV/AIDS documentary on television with her mother.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the Ashanti Region, Inspector Yusif Mohammed Tanko, told The Mirror that the girl revealed the incident last Monday at Manpase, near Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, where they live.
He said while watching the documentary, the woman told her daughter that she would get HIV/AIDS if she had sex with any man.
On hearing that from her mother, the girl informed her that about a year ago, Francis forcibly had sex with her.
According to the girl, the man invoked the spirit of the deity and because of that she could not tell anybody about the act because she feared she would die.
The police quoted the girl as saying that the man used to live in the same house as the victim and her family but he later left to live in another house near her school.
Sometime June last year, the man was said to have lured the girl into his room where he sexually abused her. After the act the girl never told anyone.
Inspector Tanko said medical examination revealed that the girl’s hymen had been broken.
The PRO said the man had vehemently denied the allegation but said investigations were underway to get to the bottom of the matter.

Friday, July 18, 2008

GUINNESS MASTER BREWER IN TOWN (PAGE 34)

Fergal Murray, Master Brewer of Guinness International, who is in Ghana for a working visit, has commended Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) for producing great quality beer.
Mr Murray, who would spend time meeting with consumers of Guinness, held a press conference in Kumasi yesterday to interact with the media and other stakeholders.
He took time to share tips on the best ways to enjoy the Greatness of Guinness.
The first step, he said, was the delivery, and noted that the product tasted best when served at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.
He said Guinness could also be enjoyed straight from the bottle, or poured at 45 degrees Celsius. He also spoke about the taste and aroma of the beverage and said efforts were being made to further improve the drink.
Mr Kweku Sekyi-Cann, a Marketing Manager of GGBL, said: “We are delighted to welcome Fergal to Ghana and to work with him to celebrate the greatness, that is Guinness. We are very proud to be producing some of the best tasting Guinness liquid in the world and look forward to celebrating with all of our loyal consumers.”
He reiterated the company’s message for consumers to enjoy Guinness responsibly.
The Guinness Master Brewer has a unique job as the custodian of the formula for the production of Guinness.
The Master Brewer has been an integral part of the production of billions of pints of Guinness and has visited thousands of bars worldwide for quality assurance.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

TAKE SECOND LOOK AT FIXING RURAL BANKS' SHARE CAPITAL (PAGE 40)

THE Association of Rural Banks (ARB) has called on the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to take a second look at the decision fixing the minimum share capital for rural banks at GH¢150,000.
According to the bank, the decision by the central bank to raise the minimum share capital by 200 per cent, that is, from GH¢50,000 to GH¢150,000, would negatively affect the operations of many of the rural banks.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the opening of a four-day advocacy workshop for senior members of the ARB in Kumasi, Mrs Rose Newman, the acting President of the ARB, said, “Very few of the banks could meet the new minimum share capital.”
Under the regulations of the BoG, banks that fail to meet the requirement, would, among other sanctions, not be allowed to pay dividend to shareholders.
The workshop, organised and financed by the ARB and the BUSAC Fund, was aimed at equipping the participants with the skills to effectively advocate improvement in the operations of the institutions and their workers.
The participants included council members and chapter members of the ARB across the country.
Mrs Newman said failure by the rural banks to pay dividends to shareholders would put many people off from investing in the banks.
She, however, called on the public to continue to have faith in the rural banks by buying their shares because there were a lot of benefits to be derived from them.
Mrs Newman said her outfit was determined to change any negative mindset of the public about the rural banks.
She noted that the rural banks offered the right banking services for the middle and low-income groups.
The acting ARB president called for industrial peace as the banks moved to play a more effective role in the financial sector.
The Assistant Executive Director of the ARB, Mr Kwabena Agyei-Acheampong, stated that since the rural banks were the actual partners in development, the public must have faith in doing business with them.

GPRTU WORRIED ABOUT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT ...For MMT buses (PAGE 40)

THE Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has complained about alleged preferential treatment given to the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) by the police over parking rights in the Kumasi metropolis.
The GPRTU said as a result of the situation, it continued to lose passengers to the MMT, a situation that was slowly killing the union’s business.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Kumasi, the Secretary of the Kumasi-Accra mini bus branch of the GPRTU at Asafo, Mr Darko Mensah, said while the MMT buses were allowed to use the road as loading points, the same opportunity was not extended to the GPRTU or any other private transport union.
“Any of our vehicles that park on the road to pick passengers is arrested,” he said, adding, “This is selective justice” and therefore called for a level playing field.
Mr Darko Mensah said if the rule of law was to work in the country, then it must apply to all people.
While welcoming the introduction of the MMT into the system, he said their operation should not be at the disadvantage of the others.
Mr Darko Mensah also spoke against the extension of the MMT’s operations outside the metropolises and the major towns, thus defeating the purpose for which they were introduced.
The secretary attributed the growing rate of accidents to the proliferation of driver unions in the country.
He stated that while the GPRTU insisted on professionalism on the part of drivers, some of the unions neglected it, bringing on board unqualified drivers to take charge of vehicles.
According to him, for over 10 years now, his outfit had never had a single accident, which indicated the professional competence of the union’s drivers.
Mr Darko Mensah said most accidents could be attributed to the fault of drivers.
He, therefore, challenged drivers to bring professional competence to bear on their activities.

ROAD SAFETY COMMITTEE DONATES TO PRISONS (PAGE 40)

THE Ashanti Regional Road Safety Committee has presented 150 pairs of rubber sandals (Charlie Wote) to the inmates of the Manhyia Prisons in Kumasi.
The rubber sandals were confiscated from drivers and their mates as part of the committee’s road safety campaign.
According to the union, even though drivers had been warned not to wear “Charlie Wote” to drive because of the dangers associated with it, they continued to use them.
The Regional Co-ordinator of the committee, Mr Kwaku Oware Boateng, said his outfit had persistently cautioned drivers against the use of the rubber sandals.
He said the tendency of a driver wearing the sandals to slip was high, and this could not be tolerated.
He said everything would be done to bring sanity into the system.
Mr Boateng indicated that road safety campaigns were very important because they prompted drivers about the negative developments in the system.
The officer in charge of the prisons, Mr J.K. Mensah, who received the sandals on behalf of the inmates, thanked the committee for the gesture and promised to put them to good use.

BOSOMTWE RURAL BANK MAKES POSITIVE IMPACT (PAGE 40)

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, the Bosomtwe Rural Bank was established at Kuntanase in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region with the mission to play a complementary role in the overall development of its catchment area.
It was one of the pioneer rural banks of the region, and the task to meet its goals was huge, especially as the people had not appreciated the concept of rural banking as it is today.
The idea to start the bank was mooted by some opinion leaders at Kuntanase and other surrounding communities.
In those times, there was much difficulty by people in the lower income bracket to transact business with the commercial banks.
Many small-scale businesses failed to grow because it was almost impossible accessing credit facilities from the commercial banks.
Therefore when the then government introduced the rural banking concept, some communities readily embraced it because they realised the potential of the rural banks to address the lapses in the banking system for the rural dweller.
The birth of Bosomtwe Rural Bank in 1983 was, therefore, welcome news for farmers, small business operators and salaried workers who moved quickly to start business with it.
When the achievements of the bank were recounted by the Board Chairman, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, at the 18th annual general meeting of shareholders at Kuntanase, which coincided with the silver jubilee of the bank, this writer came to the realisation that very soon some of the rural banks would rub shoulders with the established commercial banks in the country.
Currently, Bosomtwe Rural Bank operates six agencies at Kuntanase, Jachie, Kokofu, Atwima Amanfrom, Trede and Atonsu, as well as two mobilisation centres at Dadiesoaba in Kumasi and Atonsu Bokro. New premises have also been acquired at Ahenema Kokoben and Cedar Crescent in Kumasi and very soon the two agencies would be opened.
Mr Osei-Mensah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) of Bosomtwe, emphasised the strong performance of the bank over the years and said in spite of the recent international and domestic economic shocks, the bank had been able to stand on its feet to deliver quality services to the people.
People in the agricultural, industry, trading, transport and other areas of economic activity, have benefited from the bank.
In the last financial year for instance, a total of GH¢270,723.39 was channelled into agriculture as against GH¢124,870 invested in that sector in 2006, showing a percentage increase of 116.81.
On trading, the bank gave out GH¢506,114.68 to a number of people in 2007 while GH¢55,631.73 was disbursed to beneficiaries with micro-credit support of GH¢885,824.35 going to a number of people in the same year.
The Bosomtwe Rural Bank has also come out with a new product to assist newly trained teachers posted to the Bosomtwe, Amansie East and Atwima Kwanwoma districts, to motivate them to stay and teach in the communities.
Under the scheme called Teachers’ Settlement Loan Scheme, teachers whose salaries pass through the bank and have been at post for at least one month, are given loans up to GH¢1,000 to cater for their accommodation and furnishing.
The most interesting thing is that deductions start when the teachers start receiving their salaries.
According to Mr Osei-Mensah, the measure was to make sure that the rural economy improved and have direct impact on the living standards of the people.
Meeting social responsibilities of communities is one area that rural banks are expected to focus on. The Bosomtwe Rural Bank continues to offer assistance to communities and institutions within its catchment area in terms of community development projects.
Areas that continue to benefit from such assistance include education, health, security and scholarships.
Currently, the bank is sponsoring 17 schoolchildren in various second and tertiary educational institutions.
As a bank with roots in the rural areas, the Bosomtwe Rural Bank continues to play a leading role in the purchase of Akuafo cheque.
The purchases, however, remain a fluctuating exercise. Last year for instance, the total purchases amounted to GH¢362,275, which the bank believes was on the low side. The situation was attributed to the decision of most cocoa farmers to go in for cash sales instead of the cheques.
In the last financial year, the bank made a profit before tax of GH¢368,280.30, a significant improvement over the previous year’s profit of GH¢277,026.64.
Following that achievement, the bank was able to once again declare dividend payment of GH¢127,427.70 as against GH¢76,267.63 paid in 2006.
The bank’s total assets now stand at GH¢8,282,472.56 while the total deposit is GH¢6,499,717.37 with the networth standing at GH¢1,136,255.68.
Mr Osei-Mensah said notwithstanding the challenges facing the bank, it would continue to channel more resources towards financing small and medium-scale enterprises in the field of agriculture and cottage industries.
This is what is expected of other banks as Ghana moves to develop the rural areas.

MASSIVE CLEAN-UP AT BOHYEN (PAGE 29)

A MASSIVE clean-up exercise has been organised at Bohyen in Kumasi, with a call on the people to rekindle their communal spirit.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama, Madam Cecilia Dapaah, who made the call, expressed regret that the communal spirit in some communities had waned and said the time had come for the people to see communal labour as part of their development agenda.
The clean-up exercise was organised at the instance of the MP to rid the suburb of filth and it attracted support from residents of other suburbs of the constituency, including Bantama, Adoato, North Suntreso and Abrepo Junction.
They desilted choked gutters, cleared weedy areas and removed an eight-month-old piled-up refuse.
Addressing the people, Madam Dapaah stressed the need to maintain a clean environment devoid of diseases.
She said even though the National Health Insurance Scheme had come to address the lapses in health financing, preventing diseases was always better than curing them.
The MP, who is also a Minister of State at the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, therefore, challenged the people to complement the efforts of the government and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly at ensuring a clean environment in Kumasi.
She emphasised that she would continue to motivate the people to have the development of the constituency at heart.
The MP commended the people for turning up in their numbers for the exercise.

ASAFO INTERCHANGE NOT DANGEROUS FOR USE (PAGE 29)

THE Kumasi Metropolitan Roads Engineer, Mr J. O. Amoo-Gottfried, has stated that the main bridge of the Asafo Market-UTC interchange did not suffer any structural defects as being speculated in sections of the media.
He said the interchange suffered only a “minor defect”, which had been repaired.
He said there was, therefore, no need for the public especially motorists to panic over reports that the interchange was crumbling.
Mr Amoo-Gottfried told the Daily Graphic yesterday that some “fillings” at the interchange caved in but that was not a major defect to crumble the entire project.
He said the contractor was quickly informed and he corrected the defect.
The metropolitan engineer gave the assurance that the interchange was in good shape for use by vehicles.
Consequently, he urged drivers not to panic when using it.
The Asafo Market -UTC interchange, the first of its kind in Kumasi, was inaugurated by President Kufuor about 10 months ago.
Its construction delayed for more than two years but its completion came as a big relief to motorists and passengers who had to spend long hours in traffic travelling from Kejetia through the then Asafo Market roundabout to Amakom.
Meanwhile, Kumasi is to get two more interchanges following the government’s initiative to improve the road situation in the metropolis.
One of the proposed interchanges will be located at Sofoline and the other at Asokwa near the police station.
China Gio, the Chinese firm working on the Sofoline interchange, has started work in earnest.
The old market has been removed while one of the filling stations in the area has also relocated leaving another.

GPRTU COMPLAIN ABOUT MMT OPERATIONS (PAGE 29)

THE Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has complained about alleged preferential treatment concerning parking rights in the Kumasi metropolis given to Metro Mass Transit (MMT) buses by the police.
As a result of that preferential treatment, the union said its members continued to lose passengers to the MMT, a situation that was slowly killing their business.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Kumasi, the Secretary of the Kumasi-Accra Mini Bus branch of the GPRTU at Asafo, Mr Darko Mensah, said while the MMT buses were allowed to use the road as loading points, the same opportunity was not extended to the GPRTU or any other private transport union.
“Any of our vehicles that park on the road to pick passengers is arrested,” he said, adding, “This is selective justice.” He, therefore, called for a level playing field.
Mr Mensah said if the rule of law was to work in the country, then it must apply to all people.
While welcoming the introduction of the MMT into the system, Mr Mensah said its operations should not be at a disadvantage to other transport unions.
He also spoke against the extension of the MMT’s operations outside the metropolises and the major towns, a practice which, he said, defeated the purpose for which the MMT buses were introduced.
The secretary attributed the growing rate of accidents to the proliferation of driver unions in the country and indicated that while the GPRTU insisted on professionalism on the part of drivers, some of the unions neglected that, bringing on board unqualified drivers to take charge of vehicles.
He said for over 10 years now the Kumasi-Accra Mini Bus Branch of the GPRTU at Asafo had never had a single accident, which indicated the professional competence of its drivers.
Mr Mensah said most accidents could be blamed on drivers and, therefore, challenged drivers to bring professional competence to bear on their activities.

ASPIRANTS MUST RALLY BEHIND NDUOM — POKU (PAGE 15)

AN elder of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Riley Poku, has challenged the former aspiring flag bearers of the party to learn from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by throwing their full weight behind Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the CPP presidential aspirant in the political campaign.
He said even though Dr Nduom and the CPP were doing well in the electioneering the party’s chances would be even brighter if all the aspirants came on board.
The former Minister of Defence in the Third Republic told the Daily Graphic in an interview in Kumasi on Monday that it was refreshing to see all the former aspiring NPP flag bearers supporting Nana Akufo-Addo wherever he was campaigning.
“As a traditional party, this is what we in the CPP must do rather than the petty bickering, which would not take us anywhere,” he said.
The former minister said he understood those who were raising issues with the flag bearer but said what they said and their actions must be in the interest of the party.
“If this is not done, the efforts to push our flag bearer would not yield results,” he said.
He pointed out that the CPP could not afford to remain at the rear of politics in the country because it was the only party the people needed to speed up the nation’s development agenda.
Mr Poku, who is a lawyer, was happy that in spite of the so-called Serious Fraud Office (SFO) report on Dr Nduom, the party was not performing badly in the electioneering.
“I think the report would not have any adverse effects on the fortunes of the party in the December polls,” he said.
Mr Poku said it was important for the party to spread its “winning message,” which was the most important thing in the run-up to the elections.
Mr Poku said, “I think the CPP is doing well in the campaign and if this continues, this election would be very interesting”.
The Defence Minister in the Limann administration said he was not happy with the attention being given to the SFO report when the real work was on the ground.
While praising the leadership of the party for inroads, the party was making with the electioneering Mr Poku conceded that the fight to go past the NPP and the NDC would not be easy.
“Pitching our strength against the two parties would be an uphill task and we need to work hard to meet the demands,” he said.
On the performance of the NPP government, Mr Poku noted that it would not be fair to say that the government had performed poorly, citing the improvement in the macro- economic environment as an example.
However, he said, a CPP government had the potential to perform better, looking at the party’s ideology.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

KOTOKO HAD RAW DEAL (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 1)

AFTER going through what they considered a terrible ordeal in Tripoli, Kumasi Asante Kotoko say they are planning a resounding victory over their opponents, Al Ittihad, in the second leg at the Baba Yara Stadium on July 27.
The Porcupine Warriors, however, gave the assurance that they would go for a clean victory and not a replica of the controversy-tainted win the Libyans recorded in Tripoli last Friday.
Kotoko lost 1-2 to Al Ittihad in the first leg final qualifier for the Group Stage in the CAF Confederation Cup match under bizarre circumstances and the club’s officials blamed the Kenyan referee for their loss.
Mr Sylvester Asare Owusu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Asante Kotoko, in an interview with the Graphic Sports yesterday said the officiating witnessed in Tripoli was one of the worst he had seen.
The unthinkable sending off of skipper Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, the strange penalty awarded the Libyan side and the many other questionable decisions against Kotoko by the referee were some of the issues Sylvester raised against the referee.
“I think that CAF must go at such referees in order to clean the African game”, he said.
To ensure that their protest did not remain on their lips, Kotoko have formally lodged their protest against the referee with CAF through the GFA.
“I think that CAF would move swiftly to deal with the situation”, the CEO said.
He questioned why a referee from East Africa was appointed for the match when in fairness the middleman should have come from West Africa.
CAF has appointed a referee from Tunisia for the second leg in Kumasi, and Sylvester said this goes to prove the unfairness in the system.
The CEO said it was refreshing that in spite of the torrid experience in Tripoli, the players were not downhearted and have promised to go all out in the second leg.
According to Sylvester, the team refused to eat from their hotel on the match day because they feared their food could be spiced with something that could weaken the players.
Management, the CEO said, was keeping all the players in camp to prepare for the return leg.
Sylvester said Harrison Afful would be available for the Kumasi match contrary to rumours that he had returned to Holland to pursue his contract with Feyenoord.
The CEO also dispelled rumours that top scorer, Eric Bekoe, was on his way out to Europe.
He said media reports that Tottenham Hotspurs had expressed interest in the player were not true.
“As far as we are concerned no club has officially written to us expressing interest in the striker”, he said.

Monday, July 14, 2008

'LATRINE BOYS' STILL OPERATE IN KUMASI (NSEMPA, PAGE 3)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE carrying of human excreta for a living still exists in Kumasi despite the ban on the use of pan latrines by the city authorities.
Investigations by Graphic Nsempa revealed that people, specifically men, were still engaged to convey human excreta from pan latrines in some homes.
However, the sub metropolitan administrations said they were not aware of the situation.
Where the conveyors deposit the faeces remains a question which needs an answer.
The likelihood that they dump them in streams and rivers is very strong.
This pose serious danger to the health of people downstream who use the rivers and streams as their main sources of drinking water.
It was realised that it would be extremely impossible for the carriers to dump the faeces at Dompoase where the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has its final disposal site.
Even the security mounted at the final disposal site prevents any outsider from using the facility.
The investigations conducted in the sub metropolitan areas of Kumasi established that some people still preferred using pan latrines to the Ventilated Improved Pits (VIPs)
Households have been asked to discard pan latrines for the VIPs to be constructed at subsidised costs for them.
However, some people, for reasons including lack of funds, have decided to continue to use the banned pan latrines.
It is disturbing in this 21st Century, for human beings to be contracted to carry human faeces for a living.
A private legal practitioner in Accra, Nana Agyei Ampofo, has already filed an action at the Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the engagement of human beings to carry human excreta was against the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
He based his argument on the fact that the exercise was against the human rights of the carriers.
The legal practitioner cited the health hazards that the carriers face from carrying the faeces as some of the reasons behind his action.
Those who carry the human faeces undertake the work mostly in the night.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

DON'T REGISTER UNQUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR BECE (PAGE 36)

THE District Director of Education for the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Mrs Dinah Appiah, has cautioned heads of junior high schools (JHS) against registering unqualified candidates for the Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).
She said it was illegal to register any candidate outside his or her own school without the proper transfer.
The director gave the warning when she addressed some heads of basic schools in the district at a meeting at Toase.
She further indicated that the registration of forms one and two students in the JHS was an offence and said heads of schools who fell foul of the law would not be spared.
Mrs Appiah commended the school heads for working very hard to raise the standard of education in the district.
She called for effective supervision of teaching and learning by the school heads to further improve the standard of education in the district.
Mrs Appiah charged the head teachers to organise in-service training programmes for their teachers periodically to help update them on the current methodologies of teaching.
She stressed that quality education delivery was crucial in developing the intellectual capacities of schoolchildren at the basic levels.
That, Mrs Appiah stressed, would help the children to grow with it and eventually help them in their academic careers at the highest levels.
Mrs Appiah urged the heads to keep abreast of the details of the new educational reforms and sensitise the general public to the programme through school management committees and parent-teacher associations (PTAs).

NAACHIAA QUARRY AND GRANITE LIMITED ...Relief for contractor (Page 22)

GHANA'S move to build the private sector to be a real engine of growth is gradually gaining roots in many sectors of the economy, especially in the Ashanti Region.
The mining, quarrying and construction sections of the industrial sector have over the decade been some of the fastest-growing sections of the industrial sector of the economy of Ghana, with the Ashanti Region playing no mean a role in this area.
One of the challenges in Ghana is the generation of adequate employment opportunities for the increasing number of the unemployed and the underemployed youth.
The booming and dynamic mining sector has not contributed significantly to the employment creation objective of the government. This has been due to inadequate initial financial outlay to purchase equipment and plant, a lack of support for the private sector and the modernisation and application of capital-intensive modes of production. The openings in employment opportunities in the industrial sector have come largely from construction activities.
Efforts to expand and improve the quality of construction materials must, therefore, be viewed as contributing to the provision of unemployment, especially in the rural areas.
A major constraint to the road construction sector, playing its critical role as a source of employment in the rural areas for the semi-skilled and unskilled, has been a lack of established domestic and indigenous industries producing the raw material requirements of the industry.
Even basic inputs such as quarry aggregates tend to be in short supply. It is for that reason that the establishment of the Naachiaa Quarry and Granite Limited at Barekese has come at the right time to produce high quality construction materials to meet the growing demand of the road and building industry in Ghana and beyond.
In the past, availability of good quality quarry materials for the road and building industry were limited by the unavailability of world-class sophisticated quarry equipment to produce and meet the huge demand in the industry.
Over the past decade, contractors and important road and building projects in the Ashanti Region and indeed, the Kumasi catchment area have suffered unnecessary delays for a lack of quarry aggregates. The establishment of Naachiaa Quarry and Granite at Barekese, a rural town in the Ashanti Region, with one of the largest and state-of-the-art three-stage Quarry Plant in Africa intends to change the trend and to give contractors in the Central and Northern regions of Ghana, the ‘peace' to execute all contracts on time.
Naachiaa Quarry and Granite Limited (NAAQUA) is a subsidiary of Naachiaa Group of Companies, with the objective of producing high quality quarry aggregates of all the different sizes for the road and building industry.
While the short-term objective is to cater for central and northern Ghana, the quarry, over the medium to long term, intends to serve the neighbouring West African sub-region, as well as manufacture high quality granite tiles for the Ghanaian market.
The 'granite'part of the company’s name is, therefore, a reflection of the long-term intent to give consumers the freedom to buy locally manufactured granite materials and save them from going through the ordeal of ordering cheap quality granite tiles from outside and with the consequential breakage associated with the conveyance of imported breakable granite tiles over long distances.
The other primary objective of the company is to create employment in the rural area to minimise rural–urban migration and improve the rural economy.
The location of the quarry at Barekese in the Atwima Nwabiagya District within the broad catchment area of the Kumasi metropolis, where the bulk of the quarry aggregates may be required for road and building projects, is significant.
Safety, health, environmental and work discipline are cardinal in the operations of such companies. That is why the company has provided safety training to create awareness among the workforce. Regular safety meetings are held to ensure that incidents are pre-empted and reported through the awareness created. This is to ensure maximum safety and avoid accidents.
To protect the environment, repair and maintenance of the plant are carried out in a safe and properly organised manner with no or minimum impact on the environment, through the avoidance of lubricants and oil spillage.
According to Mr Claude Osei-Agyemang, the General Manager of Naachiaa Group of Companies, the plant could deliver all the quarry requirements of major projects in the country.
The project, which is the brainchild of Dr Kwame Appiah Poku, an industrialist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naachiaa Group of Companies, was set up to provide employment opportunities for the rural people and satisfy the quarry aggregate needs of road and building contractors.
Competition is good. Already, there are about five competitors for the quarry aggregate market in the Ashanti Region, who are barely able to keep up with the demand, consequently starving very important national projects of quarry products.
However, production of quarry chippings/aggregates, which is the core raw material for infrastructural projects in the country, has never been enough to meet the nation’s huge demand. The low-production capacity of existing quarry operators in the Ashanti Region, coupled with the high demand for quarry aggregates in the country, has always resulted in long queues for supplies.
That problem leaves most of the projects meant to meet critical deadlines far behind schedule with huge financial losses, to the detriment of the Ghanaian economy.
A major objective of the government’s poverty alleviation programme is the creation of industrial ventures in the rural areas so as to create a balanced development of the nation, that is why Naachiaa Quarry and Granite Company seeks to contribute to the national development agenda.
The project, in addition to creating employment opportunities in a rural area and thereby contributing towards minimising the rural-urban exodus of unemployed youth, whose presence in the urban centres constitute a potential social unrest, is also a major contributor to the coffers of the Atwima Nwabiagya District through the payment of property rate and royalties.
The project provides full-time employment for more than 30 unskilled labourers and artisans, who hail from the rural Barekese town, thereby opening the much needed direct employment opportunities for the rural community.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

IT SMACKS OF IGNORANCE — AYISI BOATENG (PAGE 16)

A FOUNDER member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, Mr George Ayisi-Boateng, has stated that the statement by the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, questioning the professional qualifications of President Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo aslawyers, smacked of ignorance.
"It is, therefore, important for her to be bold enough to apologise to President Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo for the negative comments, now that her ignorance has been exposed," he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic today.
Mr Ayisi-Boateng who is also the vice chairman of the "one touch movement for Nana 2008", a group in the Ashanti Region, campaigning for the victory of Nana Akufo-Addo in the December elections, said, even with her first degree in Rural Art, Mrs Rawlings could become a lawyer if she decides to go through the professional training.
He wondered how someone who had gone through university education could so much expose her ignorance while speaking to a group of university students.
Mr Ayisi-Boateng questioned, "How would the students judje her now that she had exposed herself to national ridicule?'
He described President Kufuor as a highly qualified lawyer who is recognised internationally.
"And for Nana Akufo-Addo, his records are there for all to see so the former first lady should spare us such vituperations", Mr Ayisi-Boateng said.
He said the utterances by the former first couple were disturbing and they needed to watch what they say.
He said after 19 years as head of state, Mr Rawlings had become a statesman but his statements were putting him in bad light.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

BEKOE WRAPS UP DOUBLE...Africa, the next target (GRAPHIC SPORTS, LEAD STORY)

KUMASI Asante Kotoko journey into Africa this week minus head coach Bashir Hayford but signs of a successful season still remain distinctly promising with the sharp-shooting Eric Bekoe, top-scorer in the just-ended local league, leading the fray.
Bekoe’s 17-goal haul in 22 appearances separates him from the rest and should be the driving force in Kotoko’s quest for a continental golden fleece for the first time in 25 years.
Management is preventing Hayford, who has fashioned the team's success up to this stage, from leading the team to Libya to play Al-Ittiyad in the first leg final qualifier of the CAF Confederations Cup, insisting that he remains at home to prepare for the burial and funeral rites of his late wife. The mantle thus falls on assistant coach, Johnson Smith, to lead the team in search of a good result in Libya.
Coming barely a week after wrapping up the league championship, Asante Kotoko look poised for a performance of their lives in what is expected to be a highly charged game against Ittiyad.
Against the backdrop of a 3-0 loss by the Greens of Libya to the Black Stars in a World Cup qualifier in Kumasi recently, Ittiyad who have 14 players in the Libya national team will attempt to go for revenge of a sort against Asante Kotoko.
Even so, as they go for that revenge, their ultimate focus is on qualifying for the group stage of the Confederations Cup.
Ittiyad will be led in attack by national players Osama ben Saleh and Al Khalifa.
The two players were a delight to watch when Libya played the Black Stars in Kumasi, and playing in front of a partisan home crowd they will be motivated to go for the kill.
Midfielder Ahmed Osman also provides the needed support for the front men, and it will be interested to see how he fights it out with the likes of Jordan Opoku in that department.
But in Asante Kotoko, Ittiyad will be meeting a side so determined to sweep every cup before them this season.
Since the Sylvester Asare Owusu-led management was put in place, they have showed signs of sweeping every opposition aside.
Throughout my interactions with him since his second coming to the club as CEO, Sylvester has never hidden his intention to lead management to set a record by guiding the club to its first continental silverware after 1983 when they last won the then Africa Clubs Championship.
The newly-crowned Ghanaian champions employ a wealth of budding talents and some experienced legs to prosecute their agenda.
This impressive mix will pump up so much energy to force the Libyans to tumble in front of thousands of home fans in Tripoli.
Expectation from the much-vaunted attack led by Eric Bekoe is very high, and they cannot afford to fail to do what they know best.
Defender Godfred Yeboah who was loaned to Wa All Stars at the start of the second round of the national league has been drafted back into the team and will blend his experience with the youthful power of Harrison Afful, George Asare and Samuel Inkoom to give the right protective cover to Eric Nii Baah in post.

2 LAW STUDENTS NOT BACK AT SCHOOL (PAGE 31)

TWO law students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) who were dismissed over alleged examination malpractices have explained that they have not been re-admitted to the university.
Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng, one of the students, said the Daily Graphic report in its issue of Monday, July 7 that the university had re-admitted them was misrepresented.
“The reporter may not have gotten the full import of the interview he had with me on the court ruling on the issue and I want to set the records straight that we have not been re-admitted,” he said.
He, however, indicated that they would take appropriate action to compel the university to re-admit them in line with the High Court ruling.
Prof. K.K. Adarkwah, the Vice Chancellor of KNUST, also told this paper that the university had not re-admitted the students.
The students, Alfred Obeng Boateng, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Approachers (Ghana) Limited, and Ato Kwamena Sam Ghartey, both part-time law students, were dismissed in October, 2007, while in the second year of their programme, after they were accused by the authorities of having cheated in the second semester examinations
However, they filed a writ for certiorari at the Kumasi High Court and won in March, this year.
In quashing the university’s decision, the court, presided over by Mr Justice Imoru Ziblim, said the dismissals were irrational, unreasonable and had no legal basis.
Mr Boateng told the Daily Graphic that the persistent refusal by the university authorities to restore their studentships was a deliberate attempt to ruin their future, and that, “we would go back to the court to ensure that the law takes its course”.
A certified true copy of the ruling said by two separate letters dated November 22, 2007, the university declared the two students dismissed after constituting a committee to investigate the alleged malpractices.
It said the counsel for the students, Mr Akwasi Afrifa, argued that he and his clients had to boycott the sittings of the committee after the authorities rejected their objection to the composition of the panel.
In their statement of case, the university authorities admitted that the committee continued to sit even though the two students and their counsel boycotted the committee sittings.
On October 31, 2007, the committee submitted its report to the Dean of the Faculty of Law who forwarded it to the Vice Chancellor through the Provost of the College of Art and Social Sciences.
The university authorities further stated that the conduct of the two students were scandalous and disgraceful, and the university therefore considered them unfit to continue to be in the university.
However, Mr Justice Ziblim, in his ruling, described the words coming from the university as harsh, especially weighed against the fact that their decision to dismiss the students was made in contravention of the rules of natural justice.
He said the conduct of the committee prevented the two students from giving evidence, whilst no witnesses were called during the committee’s sittings.
The judge therefore asked, “On what basis therefore did the committee reach the decision to dismiss the applicants?”
Justice Ziblim referred to the university’s regulations, which states that, “Candidates caught in breach of examination regulations should be allowed to write the paper while the Dean in consultation with the Provost of the College appoints a committee to investigate the matter and presents a report to the Provost who shall promptly forward the report, including his recommendations, to the Vice Chancellor”.
He stated that if this was anything to go by, then even if the students were caught in examination malpractices the university contravened its own regulation by refusing to allow them to write the examinations.

'DR' AWUNI ARRESTED AT KOMFO ANOKYE' (PAGE 3)

A 29-year-old man who allegedly posed as a doctor and attempted to dupe a female patient at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has been arrested.
“Dr” Stephen Awuni, who is said to have claimed that he worked at the B2 Ward at KATH, was arrested by a security man and handed over to the police.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of KATH, Mr Kwame Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic that the security man saw “Dr” Awuni helping a patient to the Medical Emergency Ward of the hospital.
While watching what was going on, the security man again saw Awuni, who was dressed in a doctor’s outfit, taking money from the patient.
Mr Frimpong said the security man found the behaviour of the man unbecoming of a doctor and, therefore, confronted him.
When he was questioned, Awuni started fumbling and the security man suspected foul play.
According to the PRO, Awuni told the security man that he was not a doctor and that the uniform he wore had been picked from the room of a doctor with whom he lived in the same house at Offinso.
However, the patient confirmed that the man had claimed that he was a doctor at the B2 Ward.
Mr Frimpong stated that the hospital would not tolerate such criminal behaviour.

Monday, July 7, 2008

NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL TRAINED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP (NSEMPA, PAGE 5)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE Chief Executive Officer of Empretec Foundation, Nana Tweneboah-Boateng, has called on all national service personnel to develop the requisite entrepreneurial skills and abilities that will help them manage their own businesses after leaving the service.
He said the development of every nation depended largely on the private sector, and so the personnel must not hesitate to enter into private business after their national service.
Nana Tweneboah-Boateng made the call at a two-day training workshop on entrepreneurship, organised by Empretec for selected service personnel in the Ashanti Region.
It was the first-ever graduate entrepreneurship workshop organised by the National Service Scheme (NSS), and was on the theme, “Introduction to Entrepreneurship”.
It was aimed at introducing the concept of entrepreneurship to service personnel who after their service, would want to start their own businesses.
Nana Tweneboah-Boateng said since the government had made private sector development an integral part of its development agenda, the workshop would help boost the quality of entrepreneurs who would help promote the sector in the future.
He said Empretec was recognised by the NSS to train its personnel, because it was the leading entrepreneurship and business development firm in the country.
The CEO disclosed that out of the 500 personnel trained in the whole country, about 100 of them, who would display immense interest and capabilities, would be selected by Empretec for assistance.
He said his outfit was prepared to provide further training, business counselling, support and access to commercial credit to anyone who was determined to be an entrepreneur with a good business plan.
He said the workshop would be extended into the future for more personnel to benefit from it.
The Ashanti Regional Director of NSS, Mr Kwesi Quainoo, said that most of the personnel would want to set up their own businesses, but lacked the requisite skills and, therefore, the training was an opportunity, which they must take advantage.
He, therefore, urged the personnel to take the training seriously to grant them a better future.

FANS ABUSE FACILITIES AT BABA YARA STADIUM (NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

There is a serious abuse of facilities at the Baba Yara Stadium by fans who patronise matches there.
Investigations by Graphic Nsempa revealed that, some of the fans go to the extent of defecating in the stands much to the chagrin of the managers of the stadium, the National Sports Council (NSC).
Others also urinate in empty plastic bottles and dump them in the stands.
Many others who also refuse to use the washrooms decide to urinate on the walls and in other open places.
“It is an eyesore”, a staff of the NSC told me at the stadium last Friday.
According to him, the teams that use the facility must educate their supporters to discipline themselves when they watch matches at the stadium.
The two teams that play their home matches at the stadium are Asante Kotoko and King Faisal.
The stadium also recently hosted a World Cup qualifying match between the Black Stars and Libya, which was fairly patronised.
It was put up at a high cost to the government and the situation could defeat the very purpose for which the facility was built.
In fact, the Baba Yara Stadium is considered one of the beautiful stadia in Africa, and Ghanaians have a duty to maintain it.
Zoomlion, the giant waste management company, has been contracted to clean the stadium.
They have been doing a very good work but the activities of the fans could be a source of concern to the workers of the company.
There is also the need for the patriotic ones amongst the fans, not to hesitate to cause the arrest of those who engage in such shameful acts.

I WILL REVIVE JUVENILE FOOTBALL — GRUZAH (NSEMPA, BACK PAGE)

By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi

THE founder of King Faisal Babies F/C, Alhaji Karim Gruzah, has stated that the national award he received last Thursday would propel him to take a leading role in reviving juvenile football in the country.
He expressed regret that juvenile football was almost dead in the country, and said, as a pace-setter in that area, he would take up the challenge to revive the sport.
“I love juvenile football because that is where everything starts”, he told Graphic Nsempa in an interview last Friday.
Gruzah was among a number of personalities who were honoured by the nation at the national awards ceremony in Accra.
He received the Order of the Volta (Grand Medal) from President Kufuor.
Alhaji Gruzah said, “I have juvenile football in my blood and I think I have to put it to the full advantage of my nation”.
He noted how in the past the Manyhia Palace Park in Kumasi and other centres in Accra were awash with juvenile football.
“But what we see today is the direct opposite, and those of us with interest in the game must start something”, he said.
Alhaji Gruzah is credited with nurturing a number of players from the juvenile division to stardom in Kumasi.
He said if the nation were able to catch the players young, the future would be very bright for national football.
He has been in football for over 47 years and believes the award he received from President Kufuor was a testimony of the valuable services he had rendered to his nation.
Even though the Alhaji lacks formal education, he possesses a natural gift in administration, something, which have seen him managing his club, King Faisal effectively over the years.
Gruzah is a fierce critic of maladministration and injustice in football administration at the national level.
He stated that Ghana football deserved better and promised to remain an impartial critic of the system.
He commended President Kufuor for recognising his achievements in football in the country.

KNUST RE-ADMITS TWO DISMISSED STUDENTS (PAGE 11)

THE Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has re-admitted two law students who were dismissed in October 2007 for alleged examination malpractice.
This followed the ruling by a Kumasi High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Imoru Ziblim, on March 5, 2008 which quashed the dismissal of Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng and Mr Ato Kwamena Sam Ghartey, both part-time law students of the university.
With the decision by the university authorities to abide by the court’s ruling, the two students have joined their colleagues in the third year at the Law Faculty.
Mr Boateng, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Approachers (Ghana) Limited, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that their re-admission was a victory for the rule of law prevailing in the country.
He said some lecturers allegedly fabricated the allegation that they cheated in the examination in order to paint them in bad light before the public.
According to a certified true copy of the court’s ruling, the dismissal of the students had no legal basis, was irrational and unreasonable.
By two separate letters dated November 22, 2007, the university declared the two students dismissed after constituting a committee to investigate the alleged malpractice.
Counsel for the students, Mr Akwasi Afrifa, argued that he and his clients had to boycott the sittings of the committee after the authorities had rejected their objection to the composition of the panel.
In their statement of case, the university authorities admitted that the committee continued to sit, even though the two students and their counsel boycotted its sittings.
On October 31, 2007, the committee submitted its report to the Dean of the Faculty of Law, who forwarded it to the vice-chancellor through the Provost of the College of Art and Social Sciences.
The university authorities further stated that the conduct of the two students was scandalous and disgraceful and the university, therefore, considered them unfit to continue to be in the institution.
However, Mr Justice Ziblim, in his ruling, described the words coming from the university as harsh, especially weighed against the fact that the decision to dismiss the students was made in contravention of the rules of natural justice.
He said the conduct of the committee prevented the two students from giving evidence, while no witnesses were called during the committee’s sittings.
“Certiorari will lie to quash any proceedings or decision which has not allowed a party to give evidence by calling witnesses,” Justice Ziblim explained.