Another bank worker has been killed in his home under mysterious circumstances. Thirty-five-year-old branch Manager of the Zenith Bank at Akosombo, Kwesi Sekyi Prah was shot dead by unidentified gunmen Monday dawn. This comes after the murder of a Stanbic Bank worker in Accra barely a month ago. Confirming the incident to JoyNews, a family member of the deceased, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Mr. Sekyi Prah was shot by gunmen who broke into his house at about 2am. He suspects foul play because the attackers did not take anything from the house. The family member stated that police have picked up the house boy who failed to alert anyone during the incident He said the banker’s wife and two children are in trauma. The Tema Regional Police PRO, Olivia Turkson, said investigations were underway. She said useful leads had been picked up by the police and efforts are currently being made to arrest the killers and bring them to justice.  

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has extended best wishes to all Ghanaians on the occasion of Christmas.   A statement signed by the party’s Director of Communications, Mr James Asante, also counseled the general public, particularly motorists, to be law abiding to ensure an incident-free Yuletide.  “On this special occasion we also reiterate our appeal to motorists and Ghanaians in general to observe strictly the traffic regulations, drive safely and be moderate in their celebrations to ensure a very peaceful and enjoyable Christmas,” the statement said.  It said as the country joins the world to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the NDC shares in the belief that Christmas is a unique occasion for mankind to preach peace and goodwill to all men.  “We must also preach love, forgiveness and reconciliation regardless of religion, creed and tribe. “The NDC reiterates its belief on this special occasion, that the bond of love and unity has undoubtedly earned Ghana her invaluable recognition as a very peaceful democratic country with an enviable record of upholding the rule of law and freedom of expression which are essential requirements in any multi-party democratic environment.  “We urge all Ghanaians to cherish the nation’s sense of patriotism, unity and love which has sustained the country over decades. These have given us peace and created the conducive environment for the nation to celebrate the birth of Christ and enjoy the best of the seasons.” “We wish Ghanaians both home and the Diaspora a memorable Christmas and, prosperous New Year.”

  More than 100 suspected illegal miners, mainly from Guinea and Mali, have been arrested for prospecting for gold at Tinga, a farming community in the Bole District in the Northern Region. Ninety six of the suspects are Guineans, while nine are Malians.  The weary-looking suspects are currently in custody at the Northern Regional Police Headquarters in Tamale. The police retrieved some mining implements, including 66 gold detectors, from the suspects, who had entered the country without any valid travelling documents. They are to appear before court today. According to the Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Alhaji Mahama Arhin, the suspects were arrested on Saturday morning on their way to the various illegal mining spots in the area.  They were said to have been engaged in the illegal mining activities for the past one week. Alhaji Arhin said the operation to arrest the suspects was successfully carried out in collaboration with officers from the Ghana Immigration Service in the Bole District that shared borders with the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire. “The irony of the case is that all the suspects have in their possession permits that were allegedly offered them by the Tinga chief,” he stated. He described the action by the chief, whose name was not readily available, as illegal, for which reason “we have invited him to avail himself to our outfit for questioning”. Alhaji Arhin said investigations were still going  on to forestall the activities of illegal miners in the district who were not only polluting water bodies but also destroying farm lands and the environment.  

  The Sand and Stone Contractors Association of Ghana (SSCAG) has expressed dissatisfaction with the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) over the authority’s new directive on axle load. The GHA has directed that with effect from January 1, 2014 no tipper truck can load above its bucket level  However, under the directive, GHA will allow tipper trucks from government agencies to load 38 tonnes capacity, while private tipper truck drivers will be compelled to load 27 tonnes capacity.   The association has, therefore, challenged the authority to come out and educate the public on the standards guiding the importation of trucks (type, size and tonnage) if there are any.  The association pleaded that it be given two years for its members to phase out completely all over-weight trucks which the authorities permitted into the country in order not to throw thousands out of their jobs. Concerns of the association Addressing a press conference in Accra, the National Secretary of the SSCAG, Mr Jonathan Omabale, stated that it was unfair for the GHA to allow tipper trucks from government agencies to load 38 tonnes, while private tipper truck drivers were compelled to load 27 tonnes.   That, he said, affected their businesses, since tipper trucks could not load half-way, adding that “sand owners usually reject half-loaded trucks”. He added that by that directive from the GHA, the government had purported to get them out of their jobs.  He further indicated that the government failed to carry out education and sensitisation for its members, for which reason it was improper for its members to be arrested for no cause. For his part, the National Chairman of the SSCAG, Mr Anthony Agbemehia, called on the government to quickly address the concerns of the association to forestall a possible demonstration to register their grievances.  Suggested Solution The association called on the Ghana Standards Authority, the GHA, the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to come out with a common position on the importation of trucks and educate the public to enable importers to understand the technicalities involved.  

  A new television station in Kumasi – Light TV - located at the poolside of the Sports Hotel, near the Baba Yara Stadium, caught fire Sunday, turning a wedding ceremony taking place in the area into a ‘run-for-your-life’ affair. In the midst of the pandemonium, the couple, as well as guests, had to take refuge at safe places, as a plume of smoke emerged from the top floor of the two-storey building housing the TV station, which is currently doing test transmission. The TV station, which started test transmission about a month ago, is owned by Mr Kwame Kyei, Chief Executive Officer of Unity Group of Companies, which includes Unity Oil Ghana Limited. Fire personnel had to work hard to bring the blaze under control to prevent what would have been a disastrous spectacle. No one was hurt but the tinted window glasses on the building were broken. Officials of the television station confirmed that no major destruction was recorded, as major installations were not affected by the fire. When the Daily Graphic got the scene at about 3.30pm, some of the guests had re-joined the couple for the wedding ceremony and food was being served. Out of fear, however, others refused to return to the ceremony. According to an eyewitness, the couple had just finished exchanging rings when some thick black smoke was seen from the top of the building housing the TV station. About 400 people at the ceremony took to their heels, as fire fighters were called in. Fire officers would not immediately disclose the possible cause of the fire but a source at the station suspected electrical fault. The Asokwa District Police Commander, Superintendent Rev Dr S.N. Adane-Ameyaw, who was at the scene with some uniformed men, said he was in church when he had a message from the Police Information Room that the Sports Hotel was on fire. However, when he got to the scene he realised it was TV station that rather was on fire. Fortunately no one was hurt.  

  Mobile Health Technology (MOTECH), an innovation for people to access information on their health on mobile phones, has been launched at Dawurampong in the Gomoa West in the Central Region. The partners implementing the technology have developed two services that run on the mobile phone. One of them is the  Mobile Midwife, which sends voice messages in local languages to pregnant women and mothers to help them to take care of their pregnancies and the health of their infants. The other is Nurses’ Application, which will enable nurses to use the mobile phone to enter data on the care they give to patients. Ms Karen Romano, the Country Director of Grameen Foundation, said the mobile technology for community health was born out of a partnership between the Ghana Health Service, Grameen Foundation, Colombia University, Saving Lives at Birth Initiative, Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Norway Government, Grand Challenges of Canada and the World Bank. CHPS facilities  She said the partners identified the need to give women in rural communities more accurate health information and simplify client data managed at the CHPS facilities.  Speaking at the function, Mr Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, the Gomoa West District Chief Executive, commended the initiators and the funding partners and described the  innovation as very useful and added that it was impacting positively on health delivery in the district. He said MOTECH would help the Ghana Health Service to achieve Millennium Development Goals Four and Five, that  relate to reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health respectively, and also assist in data management in the health system. Funding She recalled that in 2009, the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation provided funding to the partners to test ideas on how the mobile phone could be used to improve maternal and child health in Ghana. Ms Romano said from January, to date, 1,877 pregnant women and 5,831 children under five years had been registered with the MOTECH in Gomoa West. She said Grameen Foundation was working to assist Gomoa West District Health Management Team (DHMT) to train nurses to use MOTECH. Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, the District Director of Health, said Gomoa West had many health challenges but they needed to pay special attention to pregnant women and children. He said almost 13 per cent of pregnant women did not attend pre-natal clinic last year; 46 per cent delivered at home and only 50 per cent of women who delivered at home made use of post-natal services. Dr Yeboah attributed the causes of the challenges to traditional practices and beliefs which encourage pregnant women to seek health care in prayer camps and avoid hospital attendance. Mr Francis Kojo Arthur, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West, said a plot of land had been acquired for the construction of a polyclinic at Dawurampong. Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea 11, the Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim who chaired the function, spoke against the rise in teenage pregnancies in the district and said “it has rendered the future very bleak.” —  GNA  

  In Ghana, it is common for communities to erect illegal speed humps in their localities to check speeding by drivers.   Humps are raised devices, parabolic in shape and placed across a road to slow down traffic. They are often considered the most traditional physical traffic calming solution, they slow down traffic more gradually, they are ideal for residential roads and are generally used to bring speed to between 10 and 20 mph. Controlling vehicles with a speed humps is the most effective method to improve the safety at a parking lot or driveway. Speed humps and road signs are the best ways to communicate to drivers to keep their speed   to a minimum. There are  different types  of  speed ramps and these are the “Economy Solid  Plastic speed humps”,  “Portable EPDM rubber speed humps” , “Reflective Rubber speed humps”  and  “Recycled rubber  speed humps modular” which is conducive for public roads. Speed humps normally have a height of between two and three inches and four to 10 inches long and help to slow traffic where there are schools, hospitals and markets. Although speed humps are created to enhance road safety and reduce accidents, the situation is different in the Upper West Region where they are  rather death traps and accident prone because they are done poorly by the communities, thereby causing havoc to drivers who have to scale these high humps. The speed humps in the region, apart from slowing down driving and increasing driver fatigue, could be the major cause of road accidents, particularly for new drivers and motor cycle riders. Many of the humps are unauthorised and are meant to protect community members and livestock from speeding motorist. The way the humps are constructed and the number on a stretch of road make it a fashionable in the communities in which they are sited rather than a precautionary measure. There is no village, hamlet or town in the region in which you will not find speed humps.  In some cases, one could find speed humps on footpaths. Many people the GNA spoke to said they constructed the humps to protect their livestock, particularly fowls, goats and sheep from being crashed by speeding motorist The  humps,  usually  with 10  sited on a less than  five kilometers of road, such as  the Wa/Sombo and Wa/Tizza main  roads  are  shoddily done. In some cases the “Architects” of such humps place large logs, barely cover them with soil without any warning sign. Roadside vendors also construct them next to their wares in order to force drivers to slow down and buy their items. Although they are often intended to protect life, they have caused a number of traffic fatalities. It is estimated that about 25 per cent of motor bike accidents recorded in the region were due to the unauthorised speed humpss. Apart from the road accidents, humps also prolong travelling time, retard response to emergency cases by fire and ambulance services and damage vehicles. The six to seven hours’ drive from Kumasi to Wa, has increased to about 10 hours due to the speed humpss on the Kumasi-Bamboi Hamile road. Drivers cannot drive more than 50 mph even on the highway because the humps are so many that they will be damaging their vehicles if they attempt to speed. The number of speed humps increases daily.  One may drive through a community in the evening without a speed ramp but on the way back the next morning, one could encounter more than three speed humps on the same stretch of road. When drivers who use these roads are struggling to climb and descend the “mountain high speed ramps” the community members, especially the youth, will sit back and laugh at the drivers, especially those whose cars have low suspension.  The people have made up their minds to keep such unauthorised humps in place though the Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani, had ordered the Ghana Highways Authority in May to remove all unauthorised speed humpsin the country. It would be important for both the National Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Highways Authority to build the appropriate speed humps instead of allowing the communities to do their own thing. It is unfortunate people do not know it is illegal for any individual or group of people to mount humps on the major highways without approval from the authority. Some drivers the GNA spoke to, suggested that people who put up illegal speed humps should be arrested and prosecuted and drivers should also drive carefully and observe all road signs and regulations. GNA Feature  

  At least 26,621 lives were lost through road accidents from January 2000 to September 2013, while about 70, 000 people sustained various degrees of injury within the same period. According to statistics made available by the National Road Safety Commission, 20,503 lives were lost between January 2000 and December 2010 in road accidents that left 63,384 people injured. On monthly basis, an average of 170 people died and 500 sufferred injuries in the period of the 10years. Also, in the last two years, about 4,579 lives were lost as a result of road accidents, leaving  more than 6,000 people injured and causing some people permanent injuries. From January to September this year, 1,539 people had perished, while 9,741 others  were injured in 10,558 reported road crashes nationwide. The figures mean an average of 171 deaths occurred and 1,082 were injured in 1,113 crashes involving 1,084 vehicles monthly in the last nine months. “National disaster”  Speaking at the Greater Accra Regional Road Safety Commission Awards, the Executive Director of National Road Safety Commission, Mrs May Obiri–Yeboah, stated that the issue of road accidents had become a matter of health concern because it killed people even more than diseases. She said aside the victims, road accidents also caused trauma to the families and dependants of those who perished because most of the victims happened to be breadwinners. Mrs Obiri–Yeboah sressed on the the need for attitudinal change among drivers and all road users.  Traffic regulations For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of NRSC, Mr Daniel H. Wuaku, described the rate of accidents as a “national disaster”, and asked those in the transport sub-sector to go the extra mile to protect the lives of the travelling public.  With a few days to Christmas, Mr Wuaku urged drivers to ensure that their vehicles were road worthy. Assistant Commissioner of Police, (ACP Retd), Victor Tandoh, who chaired the event, urged the authorities, to correct all road defects. He also encouraged passengers to be watchful and vigilant and alert drivers of their wrongful behaviours.  In a speech read on his behalf, the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said the police deployed more personnel on the highway, to ensure safety.  

  The Men’s Fellowship of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has presented a large consignment of assorted food, drinkables and secondhand clothing to cured lepers at the Schooven Village in Ho. The food items comprised five bags each of beans, rice, gari, 15 crates of soft drinks, five cartons of key soap, five cartons of fish, five cartons of chicken and sugar.  Making the presentation, the national President of the Men’s Fellowship, Mr Charles Gunu, said the fellowship had identified special groups who deserved more love and compassion during the Christmas season, and that the inmates of the cured lepers home were one of the groups. He promised that the gesture would be extended to them every year and asked them to remain steadfast in the Lord and not to lose hope in life. The Director of the Cured Lepers Foundation, Mrs Joycelyn Akorfa Ochlich-Dotse, was grateful to the fellowship for the gesture. According to her, the Schooven Village had the largest concentration of cured lepers than any other leprosarium in the country, and, thus, needed more attention. She said there were 60 inmates and their 74 dependants, some of whom needed help to acquire basic tools to enable them to carry on with their trade.  

  A large quantity of substandard and counterfeit goods have been destroyed by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the Dompoase landfill site in Kumasi. The confiscated products, which included 144 boxes of Gold Seal cigarettes and quantities of assorted drugs alleged to be substandard, were estimated at GHC773,382. Some of the products were also seized at the Parcel Office of the Ghana Post at Adum in Kumasi.  The exercise was supervised by officials of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Ghana Police Service, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA). Briefing  journalists before the goods were burnt, the Chief Revenue Officer of CEPS, Mr Stanley Essuman–Mensah, said some of the products were smuggled into the country through unapproved routes. Products Mr Essuman–Mensah said the cigarettes, which were counterfeit products, were not meant to be sold in the country, while the substandard drugs were believed to have been smuggled into the country through unapproved routes. He expressed grave concern over the use of unapproved routes to import products into the country, adding that such practices undermined effective revenue generation to support socio-economic development. Warning Mr Essuman–Mensah warned that products brought into the country through unapproved routes would be seized and, therefore, advised the business community not to engage in such practices.Rather, he advised the business community to acquire licences and secure the necessary permits before importing products for the local market. “Some products  imported into the country are also not allowed to be sold here. Therefore, it is important for importers to be mindful of such products to avoid a situation where their goods would be seized and destroyed” he warned.  

  An eminent Ghanaian jurist has entreated institutions to honour leaders and personalities who have contributed immensely to the development of the country. Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe, a former Justice of the Supreme Court, said this at the launch of the maiden edition of the Society Transformation Challenge Awards ceremony which was held in Accra last Friday. The award scheme, which is under the auspices of Global Family Care, is slated for next year and it is to award personalities in the various sectors in the country for their contributions to national development. Speaking on the theme, “Enhancing the wellbeing of the Ghanaian Society in the 21st Century,” Justice Crabbe indicated that rewarding such personalities would encourage them to give their quota to spearhead the aspirations of the government and society. He said introducing such an initiative in this country would help people by encouraging them to provide societal changes in the country. Addressing the media after the launch, the former Justice  indicated that the Ghanaian society was fast breaking down because the citizenry were adopting the traditions of the western world and forgoing the heritage of the nation.  “We are fast losing our self-respect because we are copying blindly from the western world. The things we see outside there were achieved by some determined personalities, and we as Ghanaians must take cue from it and develop our own country,” he added. In an interview with the Daily Graphic, a board member of Global Family Care International, Mr Kuku Dsane, said the subsequent award schemes would be expanded to include Ghanaians living abroad who were working to raise the image of the country and the continent. He said  a committee would be put in place to help define the categories and select the awardees through an electronic system.  

  The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has presented various items to the Mampong Babies Home in Asante Mampong in  the Ashanti Region, towards the upkeep of the inmates. The items, which were made up of 10 boxes of Cerelac, two cartons of Ideal milk, five boxes of chocolate, 20 pieces of cloth and toys, were presented as part of the ministry’s package to some selected orphanages and prisons across the country. The sector minister, Nana Oye Lithur, said the presentation was made to champion a positive change in the lives of the less privileged and also to put smiles on the faces of the vulnerable, excluded, aged and persons with disability through the use of social protection and other innovative interventions. She said despite the limited resources of the ministry, it was necessary to ensure that beneficiary institutions from all the regions of the country received such donations, and commended the sponsors for collaborating with government for  sustainable national development. She reiterated the ministry’s commitment to build collaborations with relevant stakeholders to advance the course of all persons, especially the vulnerable, and called on individuals and organisations to emulate “this sterling example and join the crusade to provide an improved life of the less privileged. The sponsors are the First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, National Lottery Authority, Nestle Ghana Limited, Sanita Consumer Products, Special Ice Mineral Water and Akuma Mama Zimbi Foundation. The Asante Mampong Suffrigan Bishop of the Anglican Church, Rev. Dr Cyril Ben-Smith, and the Superintendent in-charge of the home, Margaret Addai, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the ministry for the gesture. She appealed to the ministry to support the home with vehicles to aid their operations. The Mampong Municipal Chief Executive, Mohammed Konadu Aboasu, gave the assurance that the assembly would work closely with the Social Welfare Department to help the home.  

  The mastermind of the recent child kidnappings from churches in the Accra metropolis was Sunday arrested by the police, along with his accomplice. That was after the suspect had picked up the ransom for the release of the fourth child he had kidnapped at the Lighthouse Chapel International at Kaneshie in Accra. Ernest Kwabena Koomson, alias Ernest Abotsi, a 27-year-old self-styled pastor, is believed to be behind the abduction of three children in separate operations between December 1 and 15, 2013. The police had trailed Koomson and his accomplice, Isaac Ntie, a 19-year-old unemployed, after the kidnapping of a 10-year-old son of one of the pastors of the Lighthouse Chapel.  Sensitisation in 70 churches  The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, told journalists in Accra yesterday that police commanders and their men under the Accra Police Region visited 70 churches in the city as part of a sensitisation programme in reaction to the recent abductions. He said it was in the course of the programme that the police had information on the alleged kidnapping of the 10-year-old boy at the Lighthouse Chapel. The incident happened 30 minutes after the police had left the church after educating the congregation on personal security and how to take care of their children. The IGP said the kidnappers adducted the boy and demanded GH¢5,000, with a 45-minute ultimatum to pay the ransom or they would kill him. Kidnappings on Sundays  He said the first kidnapping took place at the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), where a 10-year-old boy was abducted, on December 1, 2013. The kidnappers demanded GH¢2,500 from the boy’s parents, who paid without involving the police. On December 8, 2013, another kidnapping incident took place at the Winners Chapel International at North Kaneshie, where a nine-year-old girl was taken hostage. Her parents parted with GH¢3,000 before she was released. The third kidnapping, which involved a 10-year-old boy, took place at the Grace Outreach Church on December 15, 2013 and the kidnappers demanded GH¢3,000. In all the instances enumerated, the children were released unharmed at places indicated by the kidnapper after the ransom had been paid.  The boy at the centre of yesterday’s incident had been held hostage in the kidnapper’s rented room in a compound house at Darkuman in Accra. Even though in all the instances the victims appeared traumatised, their parents were happy to have been united with their children. The police believed that Koomson and Ntie were behind all the kidnappings.  Parents’ co-operation  Mr Alhassan commended the parents of the children who were kidnapped for co-operating with the police and the media for their support in educating the public on general safety and how to train children to be security concious.  “It was not the singular effort of the police that led to this success; it was a partnership which led to the arrest of the suspect and his accomplice. The police will strive to make Ghana safe,” the IGP declared. Modus operandi  The police said the kidnappers visited a particular church on Sunday and picked up a child, from whom they acquire the phone number of his or her parents. The kidnappers then called the parents to inform them that their child had been kidnapped and that they should pay a quoted amount or the child would be killed. The parents were then told where to drop the money and also warned not to involve the police. When the money is dropped at the point, the accomplice goes there to pick it up and then joins the mastermind, who had been waiting on a motorbike close by and then the two take off. Later, the parents are told where to find their children, either by the roadside or in front of the Darkuman chief’s house, as was the case in the earlier abductions.

  The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has presented agricultural equipment to boost agricultural production in the Dawhenya community in the Greater Accra Region. The equipment, valued at $298,400 comprised three tractors, seven power tillers, two combine harvesters and eight motor cycles. A representative from KOICA, Mr Cho Kwang-Geol, presented the machines to the Chief Executive of the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority, Dr Ben Nyamadi,in a handover ceremony at Dawhenya. The occasion was also used to officially outdoor a $3.6 million “Dawhenya Integrated Rural Development project” which commenced months ago, aimed at enhancing the standard of living of the people of Dawhenya. The Dawhenya Integrated Rural Development The project involves the rehabilitation of the Dawhenya irrigation scheme, replacement of inefficient electrical pumps, construction of schools and training centres and capacity-building programmes for farmers. The overall goal of the project is to improve livelihoods of the people in the area and its surrounding villages through increasing agricultural productivity and raising their living standards. Speaking at the function, Dr Nyamadi said the equipment would be distributed to the districts and municipal offices as well as the main office of MOFA in the region to serve the purpose for which they were donated. He stated that the presentation of the equipment was timely since farmers in the area especially were faced with irrigation challenges. Dr Nyamadi added that the equipment would help ease the farming activities of farmers in the community and its environs and was hopeful that their farm yields would be increased. He advised farmers and those who would use the tractors to use them efficiently and effectively. Mr Kwang-Geol encouraged the members of the community to ensure that the equipment were properly kept and maintained.  

  The state held a burial service for Mr Henry Romulus Sawyerr at the forecourt of the State House in Accra last Saturday. Mr Sawyerr, popularly known as Harry Sawyerr, who was a former member of the Council of State, died on November 8, 2013, at the age of 87. In attendance was the President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, as well as former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor. Also present were the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, ministers and former ministers of state, Members of Parliament, executive members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), traditional and religious leaders, family members and friends. They all paid their last respects to the departed statesman. He was later buried at the Basel Mission Cemetery in Accra. President's tribute In his tribute, which was read on his behalf by the Minister of Information and Media Relations, Mr Mahama Ayariga, President Mahama said Mr Sawyerr "lived a fulfilling and eventful life." President Mahama said the passing away of Mr Sawyerr, whom he described as his uncle because of his relationship with his father, had offered an opportunity for Ghanaians to look at his life and learn some of the principles he held and use them to guide their lives in public service and in their relationship with one another. Touching on his contribution to the NDC, the President said, "Uncle served our party, the NDC, very well. He was an effective and efficient member of the Council of State that advised our former President, Jerry John Rawlings, and also served as the Vice Chairman of the NDC Council of Elders." Family tributes In her tribute, the widow, Esther, described her late husband as her friend and companion. She said Mr Sawyerr valued his reputation, and recalled that he asked her to close her shop when he became the Minister of Transport and Communications because people might speculate that the things in the shop were seized from the Kotoka International Airport. The children of Mr Sawyerr said in their tribute that he taught them discipline, honesty, integrity, perseverance, courage and the significance of hard work. They said their father was prepared to die for his country. "We would happily absorb the stories and anecdotes but you would never release the secrets we so wished to hear. The country meant so much to you. You were prepared to die for Ghana," they said. Background Mr Henry Romulus Sawyerr, alias Harry Sawyerr, died on November 8, 2013, at the age of 87. He was an astute politician and a chartered surveyor. During his life time, Mr Sawyerr distinguished himself in the areas of politics, nation building and in private practice as a chartered surveyor. He was a former member of the Council of State, former Minister of Transport and Communications, former Minister of Education and a former Member of Parliament. Mr Sawyerr resigned his position as Vice-Chairman of the Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress Party days before he turned 87. He was decorated with the highest honour of state, Companion of the Order of the Volta, by the late President J. E. A. Mills.  

  The Volta River Authority (VRA) will save over 500 million dollars a year when the Atuabo gas processing plant starts supplying lean gas to the authority for electricity generation, Dr George SipaYankey has said. Dr Sipa Yankey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Gas Company (GGC), explained that the VRA was currently spending three million dollars per day using fuel to generate electricity. However, he said, when the Atuabo gas processing plant came on stream next year, the VRA would spend only $1.5 million a day using gas for power generation. He, therefore, said the VRA would save 45 million dollars a month and over 500 million dollars a year since it was much cheaper generating electricity with gas than fuel. Dr SipaYankey said this when the members of the Standing Committee of the Western Regional House of Chiefs visited the Atuabo gas project site to acquaint themselves with progress of work on Thursday. He estimated completion of work at 79 percent and assured the chiefs that the gas processing plant would start receiving raw gas from the Jubilee Oil Fields for test-run and eventual commissioning in April next year. Briefing the chiefs on progress of work, Mr Emmanuel Kobina Moses, Construction Manager of the GGC, said all the vital equipment and facilities had been successfully installed. He said both onshore and offshore pipelines from the Jubilee Oilfields through Atuabo to the metering station at Aboadze had been laid. He said the vital gas processing components had been installed including the Central Control Room, Water Treatment plant, Reception Facility Area, LPG Recovery Area, Flare KO drum, LPG tanks and generators. Mr Moses indicated that a gas distribution station had also been built at Essiama that would supply gas to Preatea, Bonyire and the northern sector of the country. Osagyefo Dr Kwamina Enimil VI, Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase and President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, commended the management of the GGC for judicious use of resources for execution of the project. He said there had been tremendous improvement since the Committee visited the project site last year and pledged the co-operation of the chiefs to ensure timely completion. Members of the Standing Committee that visited the gas project site included Awulae Attibrukusu III, Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, Paramount Chief of Nsein and Okoegyeaman Kwaku Gyamfra III, Paramount Chief of Chirano Traditional Area.  

  Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Minister of Defence, has lauded the Ghana Navy for its meritorious work which has led to it being adjudged the Best Performing Navy in West Africa for 2013 by the Security Watch Africa Magazine. He said the Ghanaian coast had become an island of stability in the turbulent Gulf of Guinea maritime domain which had earned it the respect of all interested in maritime issues. Mr Woyongo said this on Friday during a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of phase two of the Naval Headquarters. The project, when completed, would have a Command Block, Administration Block, Operations and Supply Block, a Library, a Technical Office, a Museum, Conference Rooms, Cafeteria and other ancillary facilities. He commended the Navy for the arrest of MV Mustard which was found to have been used to siphon fuel off MV Cotton, a ship that had been hijacked off the coast of Gabon, and another ship which was found to contain over 400 kilogrammes of cocaine. He added that due to diligent work by the Ghana Navy, the coast of Ghana had not witnessed a single pirate attack throughout the year making the country a safe haven for ships waiting to go to ports in neighbouring countries. Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Rear Admiral Geoffrey Mawuli Biekro, said a blue-print for the construction of a new office complex was produced in 1996. He expressed appreciation to private organisations and individuals for coming to the aid of the Ghana Navy by helping them with funds and building materials to now continue with the construction of the office complex. He said the Navy recognised the heavy responsibility upon its shoulders and the expectations of the country and pledged their readiness to ensure safety and security of all vital national assets at sea. He commended Government for its commitment to the Navy despite limited resources, citing the acquisition of ships in recent years, the upgrading of the Navy’s workshop at Sekondi and other planned acquisitions that had received the Government’s approval.  

  Works on the first of 200 two-bedroom housing units worth GH¢3 million, has started at Lahagu a suburb of Tamale Metropolis. The project, which is a social housing scheme under the Community-Led Infrastructure Financing Facility, seeks to assist active productive and low income earners in the public and private sector to acquire houses under flexible financing terms. It is being funded by Homeless International, a United Kingdom based organisation with support from Government, the chief of Nanton, Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA) and Credit Union Association of Tamale. Ms Destina Samani, Resident Representative of WSA, speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Lahagu on Thursday said after the completion of the first 200 houses in the next six months an additional 1,000 units would be constructed annually for a period of four years. She explained that beneficiaries would be required to make an upfront interest-free payment of 20 per cent of the cost as commitment while the rest of the cost would be spread over a period of five years at an interest rate of 18 per cent. “By design, government is subsidising the project with the provision of land, roads and utilities to the site to cushion beneficiaries,” she said. Mr Hanan Gundadow Abudul Rahaman, Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale who cut the sod to start the project, expressed government’s readiness to partner non- governmental agencies and the private sector in the development of the country. He said the project was in responds to government’s call on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to maximise available opportunities to address the acute housing deficit in the country. He appealed to residents in the area to own the project and ensure that it succeeds due to its potential of direct and indirect opportunities for women and children. About 400 women would be engaged to provide various services such the supply of water to facilitate the execution of the project.  

  Mr Samuel Afari Dartey, Chief Executive Officer of Forestry Commission said the Commission has within the last three quarters generated a total amount of GHc14.2 million as against a budgeted revenue of GHc 9.1million. Mr Dartey attributed the increase to initiatives put in place by management for heads of the divisions and units to improve their revenue mobilization, and find alternative sources of revenue since it would be a factor in appraising them. He said this at the end of year encounter with staff of the Commission to brief them about the reports for the year 2013. Mr Dartey said the Commission recruited 487 forest guards to augment the existing number of forest guards and the appointment of Dr Ben Donkor as the new Executive Director of Timber Industry Development Division. He said the Commission had paid an amount of GHc 2,900,000 of educational grant to staff, and GHc 630,710.48 to 138 beneficiaries who retired from the Commission and established a credit union scheme to support staff financially to meet their various demands. Mr Dartey stressed that under the institutional capacity development, 48 staff are being sponsored by the Commission’s training programme at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Energy and Natural Resources to pursue BSC in Natural Resource Management. He added that two staff were sponsored under the Commission’s self-initiated training programme to pursue courses in other tertiary institutions and 28 staff trained in forest and wildlife laws to become Forestry Commission prosecutors. Mr Dartey said in the plantation development, the Commission had verified 2,835 HA as planted representing 95 per cent of the 2013 target and also contributed to the creation of 2,167 jobs. He said the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources on May 21, 2013 inaugurated a six-member Accra Eco-Park Strategy Development Committee to develop a road-map and modalities for the development of the Achimota Forest into a major Ecotourism destination.   Mr Dartey said the Rapid Response Team of the Commission were deployed in districts such as Sefwi-Wiaso, Bole, Kumawu, Buipe and Nkwanta for special operations and additional 100 forest guards trained to combat illegalities in forest reserves. He said the Commission will in 2014 focus on programmes such as human capital development training and refresher programmes, sustainable forest management and plantation development, and protection and sustainable utilization of wildlife resources. Mr Dartey said other areas include timber industry, trade development and technology transfer, planning and standards development and coordination and facilitation of forest and wildlife development and management.  

  The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), has drawn government’s attention to certain practices by those in authority that are disturbing to the structures within the Civil and Local Government Services. It said these repeated acts, which shake the foundation of central and local governance take the form of politicisation of services, intimidation of workers at the hands of politicians and outsourcing revenues to the private sector without adequate supervision. The rest are superimposing external private companies on certain establishments/departments within the services and low key attention being given to the Public Sector Reforms Programme. A statement signed by Isaac Bampoe Addo, CLOGSAG Executive Secretary and copied to the Ghana News Agency over the weekend observed that changes in Government had, in many instances, had a negative impact on some of their members as they were made to proceed on long leave without due regard to their conditions of service. It said in the worst case scenario, some newly appointed politicians openly declared that they could not work with certain competent officers and as a result called for their transfer. “In the process of these changes, some of our members were intimidated and had to endure extreme hardships. “These changes did not take account of the skills and competencies of the officers in contributing to the success of the establishment, neither the need for institutional memory considered. The least said about these actions due to political interference the better,” the statement noted. It said another area of serious concern is the outsourcing of revenue collection to private companies without proper supervision and accountability, adding that “we are aware that significant revenue losses have occurred”. It said furthermore, CLOGSAG has observed with dismay, the current practice of virtually allowing private companies to take over the legitimate functions of some state departments. The statement observed that this approach is really tantamount to giving “a dog a bad name and hanging it”. It said: “It is evident that these affected institutions have been regularly under resourced, rendering them incapable of achieving their set objectives.            Ironically, these private companies are rather heavily supported financially. These state institutions/establishments are consciously or inadvertently being destroyed.” “We believe in public-private partnership that enhances growth of public institutions and organisations but not the type that is collapsing public establishments, departments and agencies.” CLOGSAG urged government to take a sober reflection of the Public Sector Reform Programme and the benefits that would inure to the economy and the people. It said priority must be given to the sector and the reforms perused so that the Public Sector really becomes the fuel that it needs to engender growth and development and act as a catalyst in the Public Private Partnership being touted. “There have been trying moments in 2013, but due to the fortitude and support from our members, we sail, have sailed through. We have every hope that 2014 would be a better year,” it stated.