Story: Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi
THE Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has set February 2011 for its biggest ever demolition exercise that would affect 70 houses in the Atafoa Extension and Aboahia Planning Area of the city.
According to the KMA, the affected houses some of which have been completed were located in areas earmarked for roads, schools, police stations, post offices and fire service stations among others.
About six months ago, the KMA embarked on a major exercise, which saw 50 houses being destroyed because they were illegally located.
Property owners involved in the impending exercise had already refuted the KMA claim that they were illegal developers, arguing that they had genuine permits relating to the lands in question.
However at a news conference in Kumasi, the Public Relations Officer of the KMA, Mr Clement Kegeri, said none of the developers had the legal documents to build.
He pointed out that the planning scheme of Kumasi took into account locations.
“It is on the basis of this that every developer must first of all obtain building permit from the city authorities before putting up any structure,” Kegeri said.
Giving the genesis of the planned exercise, the spokesman said about four months ago it came to the attention of the KMA that some people had started putting up buildings haphazardly at Atafoa and Aboahia.
Mr Kegeri stated that the illegal constructions had even affected the major road linking the Barekese road to the Offinso road.
“KMA took a bold decision to demolish all those houses to pave the way for the construction of the road.”
Mr Kegeri said few months later the KMA’s attention was drawn to the illegal developments going on at Atafoa and Aboahia through a letter written by the Akyempimhene of Kumasi, Oheneba Adusei Poku.
He continued that upon the information the KMA Development Control Unit went to survey the sites and realised that the structures were located in areas earmarked for public places.
It decided to take action to demolish them.
“It is important to know that the decision to demolish the houses is to serve the interest of these same people who are building in the area.
“KMA is the same institution that will be blamed if we allow a community to spring up without public amenities,” he stressed.
Monday, January 31, 2011
KNUST bans party politics (LEAD STORY, NSEMPA, JAN 31, 2011)
By: Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi
POLITICAL party activities on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have been banned.
The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university, Prof. W.O Ellis, stated categorically that the university would not allow its campus to be used to advance the course of any political party.
“This is an academic institution and it should remain so,” the VC said at a media encounter he organised in Kumasi, last Thursday.
Answering a question posed by a journalist, Prof. Ellis said much as students have the right to join the political party of their choice, they could only organise political activities outside the campus.
He said the university had set out guidelines for political activities on campus and would not deviate from them.
The occasion enabled the VC to share his vision and aspirations with the media and also discuss ways of partnering the media to advance his vision for the KNUST.
Prof. Ellis, the youngest ever VC of the KNUST, has set out a journey to position the university as a global centre of excellence in science and technology education.
He noted the role of the media in advancing the development of education and said, “We are today opening a new chapter with the media and I am hopeful that the future will be positive.”
Prof. Ellis urged the media to crosscheck information about the university to avoid the publication of negative stories that could tarnish the university’s reputation.
The Vice Chancellor said in the competitive world of today, one single negative story could have adverse effects on the university’s reputation.
Notwithstanding, he noted that as a big institution with thousands of students, the university was bound to encounter disturbing events but stressed that what was important was how to manage them when they happened.
Prof. Ellis challenged managers of radio stations to endeavour to invite people with requisite knowledge and qualifications to discuss specific issues.
“It is irritating to hear all manner of people discussing issues they have no knowledge about.”
This, he noted, defeated the professional role of the media to inform, entertain and educate.
He maintained that KNUST was the best university in the country today, a situation that placed a responsibility on the administration to work at building on the standards achieved.
On the proposed opening of the Accra campus of the KNUST, Prof. Ellis said it was on course.
POLITICAL party activities on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have been banned.
The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university, Prof. W.O Ellis, stated categorically that the university would not allow its campus to be used to advance the course of any political party.
“This is an academic institution and it should remain so,” the VC said at a media encounter he organised in Kumasi, last Thursday.
Answering a question posed by a journalist, Prof. Ellis said much as students have the right to join the political party of their choice, they could only organise political activities outside the campus.
He said the university had set out guidelines for political activities on campus and would not deviate from them.
The occasion enabled the VC to share his vision and aspirations with the media and also discuss ways of partnering the media to advance his vision for the KNUST.
Prof. Ellis, the youngest ever VC of the KNUST, has set out a journey to position the university as a global centre of excellence in science and technology education.
He noted the role of the media in advancing the development of education and said, “We are today opening a new chapter with the media and I am hopeful that the future will be positive.”
Prof. Ellis urged the media to crosscheck information about the university to avoid the publication of negative stories that could tarnish the university’s reputation.
The Vice Chancellor said in the competitive world of today, one single negative story could have adverse effects on the university’s reputation.
Notwithstanding, he noted that as a big institution with thousands of students, the university was bound to encounter disturbing events but stressed that what was important was how to manage them when they happened.
Prof. Ellis challenged managers of radio stations to endeavour to invite people with requisite knowledge and qualifications to discuss specific issues.
“It is irritating to hear all manner of people discussing issues they have no knowledge about.”
This, he noted, defeated the professional role of the media to inform, entertain and educate.
He maintained that KNUST was the best university in the country today, a situation that placed a responsibility on the administration to work at building on the standards achieved.
On the proposed opening of the Accra campus of the KNUST, Prof. Ellis said it was on course.
Aduana must consider playing WAC in Kumasi’ (NSEMPA BACK PAGE, JAN 31, 2011)
‘By Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumasi
SOME football fans in Kumasi have called on the management of Aduana Stars FC to consider playing the second leg of their Orange CAF Champions League preliminary match against Wydad Athletic Club (WAC) of Casablanca at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Already Aduana have chosen the Sunyani Coronation Park for the second leg but some fans in Kumasi believes it will be good for the champion club to shift venue to Kumasi.
Speaking to Graphic Nsempa in separate interviews in Kumasi, the fans said Aduana would receive massive support in Kumasi despite the perception of antagonism between the Dormaa based side and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
“This is an international affair and local football politics will not come to play, “ one of the fans said.
Yesterday, Aduana Stars made history as the first football club from the Brong Ahafo Region to participate in the prestigious Africa Champions League.
No matter the score line, Aduana have made Brong Ahafo and Ghana proud at this period of the national game when even an established club like Accra Hearts of Oak failed to participate in Africa last year due to financial difficulties.
To gather the necessary finances to travel to far away Morocco is no joke.
The club had shown that with the necessary planning everything was possible in football.
But no one can dispute the enormous support the club had received from the owner and bankroller of the club, Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II.
This was a young man who ascended the Dormaa stool full of hope and today is proving his mettle as a chief of excellence.
Nana knows what football can do to his area and is therefore ready to invest in it.
If anything at all, the exploits of Aduana have added to the image of the Dormaa State.
SOME football fans in Kumasi have called on the management of Aduana Stars FC to consider playing the second leg of their Orange CAF Champions League preliminary match against Wydad Athletic Club (WAC) of Casablanca at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Already Aduana have chosen the Sunyani Coronation Park for the second leg but some fans in Kumasi believes it will be good for the champion club to shift venue to Kumasi.
Speaking to Graphic Nsempa in separate interviews in Kumasi, the fans said Aduana would receive massive support in Kumasi despite the perception of antagonism between the Dormaa based side and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
“This is an international affair and local football politics will not come to play, “ one of the fans said.
Yesterday, Aduana Stars made history as the first football club from the Brong Ahafo Region to participate in the prestigious Africa Champions League.
No matter the score line, Aduana have made Brong Ahafo and Ghana proud at this period of the national game when even an established club like Accra Hearts of Oak failed to participate in Africa last year due to financial difficulties.
To gather the necessary finances to travel to far away Morocco is no joke.
The club had shown that with the necessary planning everything was possible in football.
But no one can dispute the enormous support the club had received from the owner and bankroller of the club, Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II.
This was a young man who ascended the Dormaa stool full of hope and today is proving his mettle as a chief of excellence.
Nana knows what football can do to his area and is therefore ready to invest in it.
If anything at all, the exploits of Aduana have added to the image of the Dormaa State.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
DEMONSTRATORS CALL FOR PROBE INTO TOR DEBT RECOVERY FUND (SPREAD, JAN 27, 2011)
About 1,500 people took to the streets of Kumasi yesterday in a demonstration to back their demand for investigations into how the TOR Debt Recovery Fund was utilised under the erstwhile NPP government.
Organised by the Movement for Better Ghana Agenda in Kumasi, the demonstration, dubbed “Hwe hwe mu”, to wit, “Investigate it”, was also used to show support for the government for the able manner it has handled the affairs of the nation.
At about 6.30 a.m., busloads of people, mostly the youth, had started arriving at the Centre for National Culture where the event took off.
The demonstrators began to move out to the streets at about 9 a.m., accompanied by brass band music.
They went through Pampaso, the Central Police Station, the Prempeh II Street, the Asafo Interchange and ended at the Jubilee Park where the leaders addressed the gathering.
Wearing red armbands, the demonstrators carried placards, some of which read, “TOR cash for cocaine”, “Prez, hwe hwe mu yie”, “AFAG is bogus”, “Petrol price — who cause am?” and “Prez, apply the law”.
The organisers said the demonstration was not to counter the AFAG demonstration in Accra but show to the good people of the country the hypocrisy of the AFAG members.
About 20 policemen were detailed to provide security for the demonstrators and everything went on peacefully.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Communications Director of the Movement for Better Ghana, Mr Francis Dodovi, described the NPP government as the worst government Ghana had ever had.
“If any demonstration should go on against high fuel prices today, it should rather be against the NPP which mismanaged the economy and the funds meant to energise the oil industry,” he said.
He attributed the challenges in the energy sector today to the corrupt practices that engulfed the sector during the NPP administration.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to do everything possible to bring all those who mismanaged funds from the TOR Recovery Levy to book.
Mr Dodovi stated that there was every indication of corruption in the manner in which the money transferred from the Petroleum Debt Recovery Account to the Ministry of Information was used.
Organised by the Movement for Better Ghana Agenda in Kumasi, the demonstration, dubbed “Hwe hwe mu”, to wit, “Investigate it”, was also used to show support for the government for the able manner it has handled the affairs of the nation.
At about 6.30 a.m., busloads of people, mostly the youth, had started arriving at the Centre for National Culture where the event took off.
The demonstrators began to move out to the streets at about 9 a.m., accompanied by brass band music.
They went through Pampaso, the Central Police Station, the Prempeh II Street, the Asafo Interchange and ended at the Jubilee Park where the leaders addressed the gathering.
Wearing red armbands, the demonstrators carried placards, some of which read, “TOR cash for cocaine”, “Prez, hwe hwe mu yie”, “AFAG is bogus”, “Petrol price — who cause am?” and “Prez, apply the law”.
The organisers said the demonstration was not to counter the AFAG demonstration in Accra but show to the good people of the country the hypocrisy of the AFAG members.
About 20 policemen were detailed to provide security for the demonstrators and everything went on peacefully.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Communications Director of the Movement for Better Ghana, Mr Francis Dodovi, described the NPP government as the worst government Ghana had ever had.
“If any demonstration should go on against high fuel prices today, it should rather be against the NPP which mismanaged the economy and the funds meant to energise the oil industry,” he said.
He attributed the challenges in the energy sector today to the corrupt practices that engulfed the sector during the NPP administration.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to do everything possible to bring all those who mismanaged funds from the TOR Recovery Levy to book.
Mr Dodovi stated that there was every indication of corruption in the manner in which the money transferred from the Petroleum Debt Recovery Account to the Ministry of Information was used.
COURT DISMISSES APPLICATION BY KRUKOKO II (PAGE 51, JAN 27, 2011)
THE High Court in Kumasi has dismissed an application for an order to compel the National House of Chiefs (NHC) to delete the name of Osagyefo Kwamena Enimil VI from the national register of chiefs as Omanhene of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area in the Western Region.
The ex-Omanhene of the area, Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko II, who filed the application for mandamus also lost in his bid to get the court to order the NHC to reinstate his name in the national register of chiefs instead of Osagyefo Enimil.
In its ruling last Monday, the court, presided over by Mr Justice George Kingsley Koomson, said the applicant was not clothed with the right to compel the NHC to perform its statutory duty by way of mandamus.
It noted the long journey that the matter had travelled, adding that “the parties and the people of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area would like to see an end to this long-standing litigation, which, in my view, they deserve.”
According to the court, it might be true that the enstoolment of Osagyefo Enimil as Omanhene was void but unless his enstoolment was declared a nullity, it would be a difficult task for the NHC to alter the register without an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.
“In my view the applicant took the right step by challenging his (applicant) destoolment and the enstoolment of the interested party (Osagyefo Enimil) before the Judicial Committee of the Western Regional House of Chiefs.
“In my considered opinion it is only when the destoolment of the applicant and the enstoolment of the interested party have been set aside as being void and nullity by a court of competent jurisdiction that the applicant would be clothed with the right to compel the respondent its statutory duty by way of mandamus,” the judge said.
“On the whole the affidavit evidence adduced in the case, and on the preponderance of the probabilities, I am convinced that the application for mandamus to issue against respondent should fail,” the court added.
The court pointed out that for mandamus to succeed, it must be established among other things that the duty was of public nature and that there had been a demand and a refusal to perform that public duty enjoined by statute.
A brief facts of the case are that Odeneho Akrofa, then Omanhene of the area, was convicted of contempt by the High Court in Sekondi and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment.
As a result of his conviction and incarceration, the kingmakers of the area destooled him and in his place Osagyefo Enimil was enstooled on April 23, 2002.
Dissatisfied with the conviction, Odeneho Akrofa appealed against the sentence, which was set aside by the Court of Appeal on April 17, 2003.
As a result of the Court of Appeal decision, Odeneho Akrofa mounted various actions at the Western Regional House of Chiefs challenging the enstoolment of Osagyefo Enimil but all the attempts to have his name reinstated in the national register of chiefs failed.
The court awarded cost of GH¢20,000 in favour of the NHC and GH¢30,000 to Osagyefo Enimil.
The ex-Omanhene of the area, Odeneho Akrofa Krukoko II, who filed the application for mandamus also lost in his bid to get the court to order the NHC to reinstate his name in the national register of chiefs instead of Osagyefo Enimil.
In its ruling last Monday, the court, presided over by Mr Justice George Kingsley Koomson, said the applicant was not clothed with the right to compel the NHC to perform its statutory duty by way of mandamus.
It noted the long journey that the matter had travelled, adding that “the parties and the people of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area would like to see an end to this long-standing litigation, which, in my view, they deserve.”
According to the court, it might be true that the enstoolment of Osagyefo Enimil as Omanhene was void but unless his enstoolment was declared a nullity, it would be a difficult task for the NHC to alter the register without an order from a court of competent jurisdiction.
“In my view the applicant took the right step by challenging his (applicant) destoolment and the enstoolment of the interested party (Osagyefo Enimil) before the Judicial Committee of the Western Regional House of Chiefs.
“In my considered opinion it is only when the destoolment of the applicant and the enstoolment of the interested party have been set aside as being void and nullity by a court of competent jurisdiction that the applicant would be clothed with the right to compel the respondent its statutory duty by way of mandamus,” the judge said.
“On the whole the affidavit evidence adduced in the case, and on the preponderance of the probabilities, I am convinced that the application for mandamus to issue against respondent should fail,” the court added.
The court pointed out that for mandamus to succeed, it must be established among other things that the duty was of public nature and that there had been a demand and a refusal to perform that public duty enjoined by statute.
A brief facts of the case are that Odeneho Akrofa, then Omanhene of the area, was convicted of contempt by the High Court in Sekondi and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment.
As a result of his conviction and incarceration, the kingmakers of the area destooled him and in his place Osagyefo Enimil was enstooled on April 23, 2002.
Dissatisfied with the conviction, Odeneho Akrofa appealed against the sentence, which was set aside by the Court of Appeal on April 17, 2003.
As a result of the Court of Appeal decision, Odeneho Akrofa mounted various actions at the Western Regional House of Chiefs challenging the enstoolment of Osagyefo Enimil but all the attempts to have his name reinstated in the national register of chiefs failed.
The court awarded cost of GH¢20,000 in favour of the NHC and GH¢30,000 to Osagyefo Enimil.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
CREDIT UNION DONATES TO CHARITY HOME (PAGE 42, JAN 27, 2011)
THE Good News Co-operative Credit Union in Kumasi has presented a number of items worth GH¢2,000 to the King Jesus Charity Home at Boadi, near Kumasi.
The items included five bags of gari, assorted biscuits, cooking oil, pepsodent toothpaste, beans, sachet water, second hand clothing and footwear.
Making the presentation, the Managress of the union, Ms Regina Asmah, said the donation was part of her outfit’s social responsibility to the needy in society.
She stated that last year, the union made a similar donation to the Kumasi Children’s Home, adding “this is aimed at making life a bit comfortable for the unfortunate children”.
Ms Asmah stated that it was not the fault of the children to find themselves in their current situation.
She was, however, confident that with the needed support from the general public and God’s blessings, they would grow up to become useful citizens to the nation.
Ms Asmah stressed the need for people to cultivate the habit of savings as there were many benefits to be derived from it.
The Director of the Home, Rev. Kofi Owusu, who received the gift, was grateful to the donors for the gesture and called on other institutions to help them address some of their challenges.
He stated that the gesture came a few days after President Mills had made a donation to the home.
Rev. Owusu said the home, which was established in 1995, now had a population of 192.
He said the management of the home provided good education for the children.
According to him, three of the children had been able to complete the university, while three are in polytechnic and four in the teacher training colleges.
The items included five bags of gari, assorted biscuits, cooking oil, pepsodent toothpaste, beans, sachet water, second hand clothing and footwear.
Making the presentation, the Managress of the union, Ms Regina Asmah, said the donation was part of her outfit’s social responsibility to the needy in society.
She stated that last year, the union made a similar donation to the Kumasi Children’s Home, adding “this is aimed at making life a bit comfortable for the unfortunate children”.
Ms Asmah stated that it was not the fault of the children to find themselves in their current situation.
She was, however, confident that with the needed support from the general public and God’s blessings, they would grow up to become useful citizens to the nation.
Ms Asmah stressed the need for people to cultivate the habit of savings as there were many benefits to be derived from it.
The Director of the Home, Rev. Kofi Owusu, who received the gift, was grateful to the donors for the gesture and called on other institutions to help them address some of their challenges.
He stated that the gesture came a few days after President Mills had made a donation to the home.
Rev. Owusu said the home, which was established in 1995, now had a population of 192.
He said the management of the home provided good education for the children.
According to him, three of the children had been able to complete the university, while three are in polytechnic and four in the teacher training colleges.
Monday, January 24, 2011
ASSEMBLY MEMBERS UST NOT BE PARTISAN (PAGE 13, JAN 24, 2011)
THE Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Samuel Sarpong, has advised newly elected assembly members to avoid partisan politics in the assembly when the next assembly is inaugurated.
He said the main agenda of the assembly was to see to the development of Kumasi and not partisan politics.
Mr Sarpong stated this when the new assembly members within the Asokwa Constituency paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Kumasi to introduce themselves to him ahead of the inauguration of the new assembly.
He indicated that he received co-operation from the last assembly members and expressed the hope that the incoming ones would continue with it.
Mr Sarpong noted that the past two years had witnessed improved physical development in Kumasi, adding that “this is what we are all hoping for in the coming years.”
He noted the difficulties one had to go through in winning elections and congratulated the new members on their victory.
“Your election shows the confidence your people have in you and you can, therefore, not disappoint them,” he said.
A spokesman of the new assembly members, Nana Yaw Wiredu, hailed Mr Sarpong for his qualitative leadership that had brought unity to the assembly and accelerated development to Kumasi.
Describing the mayor as a unifier who believes in team play, he said the past two years had been one of the most fruitful in the history of the metropolis.
He noted that only a united front could bring the needed development to Kumasi and, therefore, assured the MCE of their fullest support.
He said the main agenda of the assembly was to see to the development of Kumasi and not partisan politics.
Mr Sarpong stated this when the new assembly members within the Asokwa Constituency paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Kumasi to introduce themselves to him ahead of the inauguration of the new assembly.
He indicated that he received co-operation from the last assembly members and expressed the hope that the incoming ones would continue with it.
Mr Sarpong noted that the past two years had witnessed improved physical development in Kumasi, adding that “this is what we are all hoping for in the coming years.”
He noted the difficulties one had to go through in winning elections and congratulated the new members on their victory.
“Your election shows the confidence your people have in you and you can, therefore, not disappoint them,” he said.
A spokesman of the new assembly members, Nana Yaw Wiredu, hailed Mr Sarpong for his qualitative leadership that had brought unity to the assembly and accelerated development to Kumasi.
Describing the mayor as a unifier who believes in team play, he said the past two years had been one of the most fruitful in the history of the metropolis.
He noted that only a united front could bring the needed development to Kumasi and, therefore, assured the MCE of their fullest support.
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