Accra, Oct, 17, GNA - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), on Wednesday received donations from seven more companies towards this year’s National Farmers Day celebration slated for November 2nd at Abokobi in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.      The donation, which was the seventh in the series of presentations, is to hasten planning towards the 28th edition of the celebration on the theme: “Grow more food: Strengthening Farmer Based Organizations for Market Place Bargaining Power.”      The companies include Nestle Ghana limited, which presented assorted food items worth GH¢ 6,500, Dizengoff Ghana limited donated Amiran farmers kit worth GH¢1 5,000 and a cheque of GH¢ 5,000.      Tropical Ghana limited, presented organic fertilizer worth GH¢ 3,000 and Atlas shipping line, Singapore also donated a cheque of USD 5,000      SIDALCO Ghana presented fungicides and weed killers worth GH¢ 12,220 and a cheque of GH¢ 20,000, whiles Pioneer food company(PFC) gave fish meal and varieties of Star Kist tuna worth USD 2,370 and a cheque of GH¢ 11,000      AFCOT Ghana limited also donated a cheque of GH¢ 15,000.      Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), who received the items, encouraged other institutions in the private sector to also come on board to support the 2012 Farmers day celebration.      “The budget for the 28th edition of the farmers’ celebration is very big and government alone cannot shoulder it, we are therefore depending on you, the private sector even though some of you are already doing well to come in your numbers and support, he said.      He expressed gratitude to the donors and assured them that their presentations would be used for the intended purpose, saying government recognizes their support towards the success of the celebration and appealed to corporate bodies in the country to emulate the example of the companies.   GNA...

Breman Jamra (C/R), Oct. 17, GNA – Mr Albert Kobina Koomson, Director for Distant Education Continuation, University College, Cape Coast, (UCCC) on Wednesday said a centre of the institution would soon be established in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District.      He said the Centre would reduce the travelling distance of students from the area who use the facility.       Mr Koomson made the announcement during the installation of Nana Kwaw Fosu III, known in private life as Mr Adu Gyampoh, as the Odikro of Breman Jamra in the Breman Asikuma Traditional Area.      Nana Kwaw Fosu was an Assistant Senior Administrator of the Distant Education Continuation Centre at Ho in the Volta Region until his installation.      Mr Koomson said the establishment of the centre is to support the expansion of education in the district.      The Director said Nana Kwaw Fosu graduated at the UCCC in 2008 and did his National Service there and then posted to Ho where he was until his installation as a chief.      Mr Koomson said he had established 48 distant learning centres throughout the country within the past 14 years and that plans are far advanced for the Breman Asikuma centre to start.   GNA...

Accra, Oct, 17, GNA - The Accra Diocese of the Anglican Church, on Wednesday cut the sod for the construction in Accra of the Anglican Bishop Towers at the cost of Forty million US dollars.      The ultra modern 11 storey building is located on the High street, within the Central Business District of Accra.      According to the Project Coordinator, Ms Yvonne Sowah, who is also the President of the Ghana Institute of Surveyors, the building will among other features, have two levels of underground and surface parking to accommodate a minimum of 232 cars.      She said each floor will also have two meeting rooms, unique view from all floors with offices on the east and west wings.      She said the building would also feature a conference room with a total seating capacity of 500, and a roof top restaurant, facing the Sea.      Mrs Sowah said the facility would bring uniqueness to the banking industry as it will accommodate two symmetrically identical shaped banking facilities of 530 meters banking space and 322 meters of office on the ground and mezzanine floors respectively within the same location.      She indicated that the sixth floor would be reserved for the Diocese in Accra, adding that, the building would be a reinforced with glazed aluminium, curtain walling and alucobond cladding on its sides.      The Most Reverend Dr .Justice Yaw Ofei Akrofi, Primate and Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa, Anglican Church, encouraged the church to support the project to make it a reality to raise the image of the Anglican Church.      “Let us gather every resource needed to support this project to the glory of God and to make the Anglican Church proud” he said.      He expressed appreciation to individuals who had been at the forefront in coordinating towards the project.   GNA...

Nkoranza (B/A), Oct. 17, GNA – Mr. Adem Sam Gariba, National Coordinator of the Local Enterprise and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) has appealed to master craftsmen and women beneficiaries of the project to show commitment and passion in training the youth in their communities.      He said those masters who had already received tools under the project must impart their knowledge and skills to the unemployed youth in their localities for them to acquire similar vocational skills to enhance their living standards.      Mr. Gariba made the appeal at a meeting of about 100 master craftsmen and women and their apprentices at Nkoranza last Friday where he presented a quantity of working tools on behalf of the government to 24 master craftsmen and women to promote their businesses.      The tools comprised 11 sewing machines, eight hairdressing equipment, four catering materials and five transport services.      Mr. Gariba said LESDEP was an initiative by the Government to create job opportunities for the people as part of efforts to address the unemployment problems in the country.      Mr. Isaac Owusu-Asante, Brong-Ahafo Regional Coordinator of LESDEP announced that managers of the LESDEP had opened an account for all beneficiaries to pay for the cost of the tools into it by installments.      Mr. Paul Opoku-Nsowah, Presiding Member of the Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, commended the Government for the introduction of LESDEP to boost up small scale private business enterprises in both urban and rural areas.      Mr. Opoku-Nsowah called on the beneficiaries to establish cordial working relationships with their apprentices and also show respect to their customers to promote their businesses.   GNA...

Sunyani, Oct. 17. GNA – The Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Ayensu Pantampram, has confirmed that the party would contest in all the 29 constituencies of the region.      He said the vetting of the nominees is ongoing and that there would be no voting since all nominees would be returned unopposed in the 29 constituencies.      Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Sunyani on Wednesday, Nana Pantampram said most of the candidates were National Democratic Congress (NDC) members who lost the party’s parliamentary primaries.      He said about 95 per cent of the supporters of the NDC, who were ignored had now joined the NDP, adding that, all the supporters who attended their congress in Kumasi were card bearing members and not supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).      The Regional Chairman said Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings had the welfare of Ghanaians at heart and had therefore promised to bring her governance to the level of the ordinary Ghanaian.      Nana Pantampram expressed the optimism that despite the party’s late entry into the race, they were sure of clinching victory to crown Nana Konadu as the next president of Ghana with majority seats in parliament.      He appealed to the supporters to boldly withstand intimidations by NDC supporters and activist and come on board to campaign massively for the party.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – Balloting for positions on the Election 2012 ballot paper is slated for Friday, October 19th, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission, stated in Accra on Wednesday.      He said political parties whose flag bearers would successfully complete the electoral process for filing nomination papers on October 17 and 18 would qualify to participate in the balloting.      Dr Afari-Gyan later explained to the Ghana News Agency that there would be two ballots - one prior to the actual ballot would allow political parties to pick a number which would indicate when they would pick for their actual positions on the ballot paper.      That, he explained, would allow the parties to have fair opportunity to pick their positions on the ballot paper.      Balloting for positions on the ballot paper is keenly anticipated, since political parties use their positions on the ballot paper to coin attractive political slogans to attract more votes.      In 2000, for instance, balloting and sloganeering became a tool for campaign when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) found itself at the bottom of the ballot paper and coined the slogan “Asee Ho” (at the bottom).     The National Democratic Congress (NDC), which occupied the second position on the paper, came up with “Esoro ho” (at the top). Those developments generated intense interest in the political campaign.     Dr Afari-Gyan said independent candidates would not engage in the balloting because they automatically would follow the political parties on the ballot paper.     “If there are more than one independent candidate, the EC will use the alphabetical order to position them,” he said.     The EC Chairman said ballot positions picked by the political parties at the national level would be replicated at the constituency levels.     He said the exercise would start at 10.00 a.m. and presidential candidates had the option to be there in person or delegate their representatives.   GNA...

Kotokrom (B/A), Oct. 17, GNA – Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, has advised supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to restrain themselves in the face of all provocations to allow peace to reign during the December 7th elections in the region.      He urged them to avoid all temptations by followers of opposing political parties that could spark misunderstanding to disrupt the elections in any of the constituencies in the region.      The Regional Minister said experience had shown that some members of opposing political parties intentionally created problems at polling centres of NDC strongholds and cautioned supporters of the party not to be taken by events before, during and after the elections.      Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo gave the advice at Kotokrom on Tuesday at separate rallies organised by the party at five electoral areas in the Sunyani East Constituency.      The other electoral areas where he addressed party faithful were New Dormaa, Atronie, Nwanwasua and Abesim.      Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo, who is also the Party’s Parliamentary Aspirant for Sunyani West Constituency, urged members of the party to undertake “house-to-house” campaign in their communities with emphasis on the number of projects already executed and those yet to be completed by the government in three and half years.      He recalled that the results of 1996 and 2000 general elections in the constituency were not encouraging because whilst in 1996 the New Patriotic Party Parliamentary candidate won by a small margin against the NDC, the gap widened in 2000 and blamed it on complacency on the part of party members.      Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo asked voters in the five electoral areas not to be swayed by unnecessary propaganda, especially by NPP and vote for Mr. Philip Awuah, NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency.   GNA...

Tamale, Oct 17, GNA - An African, Caribbean, Pacific - European Union (ACP-EU) Energy Facility (II) Project designed to support communities in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region to access renewable energy services for lighting and cooking using Jatropha curcas, has been launched.       As part of the project, a production and service centre will be established at a community in the district and rural farmers using marginal lands will produce Jatropha seeds, which can be milled to produce Jatropha oil for running basic engines.       The four-year project is a collaboration of Spallanzani Technologies of Italy, New Energy, Nucleo Ricerca Desertificazione (NRD)- Universita degli Studi di Sassari (Italy), Technology Consultancy Center (TCC) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Municipality of Dori (Burina Faso).       Its overall objective is to provide rural dispersed populations in Ghana and Burkina Faso with access to sustainable, renewable, affordable and more efficient energy services and opportunities.       In an address read for him to launch the project in Tamale on Wednesday, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Deputy Minister of Energy said the government recognized the important role bio-fuel could play to ensure energy security and job creation, adding it was also "aware of the potential concerns about land grabbing and the public outcry on conflicts between demands for land, for food production and energy crops".       Alhaji Fuseini said, "It is against this background that the Ministry of Energy fully supports the NewEnergy and TCC of KNUST in collaboration with Spallanzani Technologies of Italy to implement small scale community-based biofuel renewable projects that could address the challenges of land grabbing and provide important lessons and cost evidence about the role biofuel can play in meeting rural energy needs."       He, therefore, urged the implementers of the project to factor in the concept of sustainable food production, adding "Africa needs food (Bio-energy) to provide the human energy required for most of our productive activities."       Mr San Nasamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister described the launch as timely as it would contribute to reducing poverty in the communities. Mr Asabigi said it would also help small and medium enterprises in the communities to reduce their costs of production thus leading to reduced prices of services.      He called on the communities to embrace the project by offering their support such that after the four years, they could assume ownership of it (project).      Professor Giuseppe Enne, Project Coordinator of Spallanzani Technologies of Italy, mentioned one of the expected results of the project, which was "Capacity building of local stakeholders improved through technological transfer and training on self-management of energy facilities and self-production, processing and use of Jatropha curcas".   GNA...

Aburi, Oct. 17, GNA - The Akuapem South District Assembly on Wednesday endorsed Mr Winston Kwadwo Afari Djan, the President’s Nominee, as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, at a special meeting at Aburi.      The election of the DCE became necessary as a result of the creation of the new District out of the former Akuapem South District with Nsawam as its capital.      The meeting began with an appeal by the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Victor Smith, to members to bury all their differences and confirm the president’s nominee to speed up the development agenda of the newly created district.      After the voting, Mr Afari Djan, a Proprietor of Graceland Preparatory School at Aburi, polled 29 votes to get the required two-thirds majority of the total 31 votes cast to become the DCE for the newly created district.      Mr Smith congratulated the new DCE and urged him to work hard to accelerate the development agenda of the district.      He urged assembly members to bury their differences and consider themselves as one people with a common destiny and assist the DCE to move the district forward.      The Eastern Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Paul Boateng, supervised the election.      Last week, Mr Afari Djan failed to get the required two-thirds majority as he got a little over 50 percent of the votes so another election had to be conducted within 10 days.      In his acceptance speech, the new DCE thanked the assembly members for the confidence reposed in him and appealed to them to support him to move the area forward.   GNA...

Fiapre (B/A), Oct. 17, GNA - A Circuit Court at Fiapre near Sunyani, has remanded a businessman into prison custody for allegedly defrauding a trader of GH¢7,000.00 with the intention of supplying her with 140 bags of cement.     Fred Amaniampong pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretence and was remanded into prison custody to reappear on October 18, this year.    Police Chief Inspector Kingsley Baafi, prosecuting told the court presided over by Mr. Benjamin Yaw Osei on Wednesday that the accused lives at Agona-Nkwanta in the Central Region while complainant is a trader in Sunyani.     He said complainant met accused through a friend in Kumasi, who introduced him as cement dealer in early 2008, saying that accused agreed to supply 140 bags of cement to complainant at GH¢7,000.00.     The prosecution said the money was transferred into the account of the accused at the Barclays Bank in Agona-Nkwanta where he (accused) confirmed receipt of it to complainant via phone and promised to deliver the cement within a month.     Chief Inspector Baafi said complainant never heard from accused again until September 6, 2008 when she had information that accused had been arrested on similar case at Agona-Nkwanta.     Prosecutor said complainant reported the matter to the Sunyani Police and accused was brought to Sunyani where he was charged with the offence after admitting it upon interrogation.     He said Amaniampong was arraigned before the court but jumped bail until October 5th this year when the Police had a tip off and went to re-arrest him at his hide-out at Agona-Nkwanta.   GNA...

New Abirem, Oct. 17, GNA – Supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Birim North constituency have vowed to bury their differences and unite to ensure a resounding victory in the December polls.      A large number of the supporters from the various communities in the constituency converged at New Abirem on Wednesday to support the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Ms Esther Obeng-Dapaah, to launch her campaign.      Ms Grace Omaboe, Mr Osei Frempong, and Mr Kwadwo Afrifa, who lost the parliamentary primary in the constituency to the MP, were present at the function to give her the moral support.      Addressing the enthusiastic crowd, the MP for Assin North, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, said the National Democratic congress (NDC) had realized that it would lose many parliamentary seats in the polls hence rushing to create 45 new constituencies.      He said the NDC had nothing to offer the nation as they had failed to fulfil all their campaign promises.      Mr Agyapong advised supporters of the party to avoid voting “Skirt and Blouse” to ensure total victory for the party in the election.      The Assin North MP said the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy was feasible as the NPP government, if elected, would use the huge Judgment Debts to finance that policy.      Ms Obeng-Dapaah appealed to the supporters to bury their differences and vote massively for the party to come back to power.   GNA...

Foase (Ash), Oct. 17, GNA – The Ashanti Region recorded a total of 515 fire disasters during the first half of the year, resulting in the loss of property valued at more than GH¢2.5 million.      Mr Kwaku Aninkora-Sie, the Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), said majority of the fires were domestic and industrial.      These, he said, from the research they conducted, were mainly caused by the use of inferior quality electrical cables.          Mr Aninkora-Sie said this when addressing a public forum on disaster management held at Foase in the Atwima-Kwanwoma District.      The event was organized by the NADMO to educate and encourage the people to join in the efforts at preventing disasters.      Mr Aninkora-Sie identified wildfires, domestic and industrial fires, social conflicts and collapse of buildings as the main disasters the nation had over the years been forced to tackle.      He, however, warned that the country could be hit by a major disaster including an earthquake because of the changing climatic and geological conditions.      Mr Aninkora-Sie said it was in preparation towards efficient management of any such sudden occurrence that NADMO had begun a nationwide campaign to create the necessary awareness to educate the people on what to do should calamity strike      He underlined the need for preventive actions to assure the people of their safety adding that   Civil-society Organizations should also take up courses in disaster management.     Mr Tony Nyame, the District Chief Executive, said the forum could not have been held at a more opportune time, given the extreme weather conditions and the nature of disasters the country had been experiencing in recent times.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA - Participants from over 20 West African states have converged in Accra for a two-day workshop organised by the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI).      The workshop, to deliberate on issues pertaining to civil society capacity building is expected to help outline key capacity development issues within the sub-region and develop best methods and strategies to address them.      Addressing the participants on Wednesday, Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, Senior Research Fellow, University of Ghana, expressed concern about the inability of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to stand up to the same scrutiny they exert on governments.      She called on CSOs to exhibit professionalism in their activities in order to attract the confidence of all stakeholders, especially donors and the communities in which they operate.      Prof  Sutherland-Addy who is also a board member of WACSI,  expressed unhappiness with some CSOs who did not possess the requisite resources, skills and knowledge to effect the needed changes in their communities.      “By delivering training, undertaking research, creating learning resources and facilitating high learning access, the Institute seeks to support all stakeholders to become a stronger and better represented group”, she said.      Prof Sutherland-Addy, who is also the Head of Language, Literature and Drama Section of the Department of African Studies, lauded the ever increasing role played by CSOs in shaping national policies, delivering services and holding governments accountable.      Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, Executive Director of WACSI, said the Institute was formed five years ago by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa to support CSOs in the West African sub region.      “Through enhancing skills and knowledge, institutional and personal capacity development and delivery of advocacy skills, the Institute continues to empower CSOs and leaders across West Africa to make their voice heard”, she said.      She explained that WACSI organised the meeting in an effort to take stock of its capacity development methodology and chart the course for future actions.      “WACSI also hopes to gather relevant information through this international seminar to guide the Institute in strategising and repositioning itself to contribute to the delivery of capacity building knowledge and effective decision-making processes of CSOs”, she said.      The meeting which brought together experts in  CSOs, academicians and  development partners was to assess current strategies in capacity development for CSOs and their effectiveness, create the platform for dialogue and mobilise African and international perspectives on CSOs capacity development.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – The Ministry of Food and Agriculture in partnership with the Australian-Africa Partnership Facility on Wednesday launched its Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs) Capacity Development Project in Accra.    The Project is aimed at improving service delivery and increased access to markets along the agriculture value chain and developing the capacity of the Ministry’s extension staff to provide adequate support for the FBOs.     Nii Amasah Namoale, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, said the two year project seeks to address the knowledge gap in business development service saying “it would also strengthen the capacity of extension staff at all levels and help strengthen the FBOs to operate their enterprises in an effective manner.     He said the Ministry recognizes the need to deliver services through farmers groups as a strategy to ensure cost effectiveness in service delivery to the small scale farmers.      “Encouraging farmers to form sustainable groups would therefore empower them to participate in decision in the market and socio-political arena and increase their potential to benefit from the economies of scale”, he said.      Nii Namoale said the project would also seek to identify active FBO Apex bodies and strengthen them to play their roles adequately to complement the responsibilities of the extension officers.      He said the development and sustenance of FBO’s had become very important in the acceleration of agricultural development and called on all stakeholders especially farmers to avail themselves in creating a formidable FBO for accelerated rural development.      Madam Minica Van Wensveen, Food Security Advisor, Australian Aid, said it was important to promote and maintain training programs to extend innovations to small scale farmers across the country.      She said the partnership was to share experiences from both countries to improve the sector adding that it would also help improve agricultural productivity and community capacity.      Dr Kwame Amezah, Director, Directorate of Agricultural Extension Service (DAES), said the project was designed such that the FBOs would be able to live on their own and provide support for themselves.      He said the launch of the project starts the planning of the implementation in a participatory manner with DAES staff from all regions and representative from FBOs to continue to develop the annual work plan.      FBOs provides opportunities for farmers to benefit from economies of scale, better bargaining power and to maintain a stronger voice in policy development.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – Government is committed to lead the crusade in charting the path for empowering and integrating women and children in the country’s development process, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs, said on Wednesday.      She said the Ministry has been engaged to help promote the cessation of all forms of discrimination against women through its various stakeholder interactions.      She said priority has been placed on child protection issues including intensifying programmes to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and child trafficking, child abuse, commercial sex exploitation of children as well as the protection of children in conflict with the law.      Hajia Gariba was speaking at an Amnesty International organized public hearing on slums and forced evictions in Ghana.      The event which was used to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, also served as a platform to urge local authorities to end forced evictions, develop and adopt guidelines for evictions and push for the adoption of a national housing policy.      It brought together participants from Ministry of Water Resource Works and Housing, Ministry of Women and Children, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Ghana Railway Development Authority and other senior public officials.      Hajia Gariba said eliminating gender inequalities and achieving women and children’s empowerment was of paramount concern to the Ministry and commended Amnesty International for the initiative saying, “It is an excellent opportunity to have an open discussion about the need and the important role we can all play in guaranteeing the rights of women and children in Ghana”.      Mr Lawrence Amesu, Director of Amnesty International Ghana, said the body recognized people living in the slums as the most vulnerable group of people who needed special attention.      “You all know the situation on old Fadama- extremely poor sanitary conditions, extreme overcrowding, lack of access roads, lack of social amenities and it appears to be devoid of any hope for a better life”, he said.      He said the problem of urban slums would continue to be major challenge to the country if attention is not given to address the increasing population, poverty and unemployment.     Mr Amesu said these factors if not properly managed would force people to migrate from rural areas to cities in search of jobs and called on government to put in place pragmatic measures to deal with the slums and squatter issue.   GNA...

Accra , Oct. 17, GNA - Nine banks have reconfigured their systems and are now able to accept each other’s Automated Teller Machines (ATM) cards, providing their various customers convenience and easy access to their funds.      The banks include major financial institutions such as Ghana Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Agriculture Development Bank and Zenith Bank.     Others are HFC Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), UT Bank, Prudential Bank and the Bank of Africa.      This means that customers of these banks can access their bank account and make withdrawals from the ATMs of any of the nine banks.      In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday, Mr Archie Hesse, the Chief Executive Officer of GhIPSS said the nine banks are now connected, adding that, transactions monitored showed that some members of the public were already enjoying the service.        “We notice that the take up has been rising and it is obvious that the public is on board,” Mr Hesse said.      He said until now, only customers of banks which issued Visa branded cards could enjoy that service.      The CEO of GhIPSS explained that the gh-link will be officially launched by the middle of next month with the number of banks that will be ready by that date.      He explained that the other banks which may not be ready by the launch date would be subsequently added.      The interbank ATM switching is the first phase of a series of new services to be launched on the gh-link.       Mr Hesse said after the ATMs were linked, the next phase would be to enable the local ATM cards to be used in Point of Sale (POS) device, so that bank customers can shop with their normal ATM cards.     Four other banks, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Unibank and new entrant Energy Bank are close to completing the process.      The interoperability of the local ATMs of these banks marks the realization of a long held dream which remained on the drawing board until the Bank of Ghana established Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) some five years ago, Mr Hesse said.     GhIPSS has led the reform of the payment systems, acquired the National Electronic Platform christened gh-link, to enable all banks to interconnect to ensure that Ghana moved away from the era when customers had to travel long distances to access their money from the ATM.      It is expected that soon, all ATMs hooked to the National Platform would carry the gh-link label and logo to indicate the readiness of such ATM outlets to accept the local or proprietary cards. This will happen before the service is officially launched.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Flagbearer of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday filed nomination papers to contest the December polls as a Presidential Candidate.      Dr. Mahammadu Bawumia, Nana–Addo’s Running Mate, who presented the forms on behalf of the flagbearer, also deposited GH¢285,000.00 as filing fees for the Flagbearer and the 275 NPP Parliamentary Candidates to the Commission.      Dr. Afari Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission then declared Nana Akufo Addo a legitimate Presidential Candidate of the NPP and wished him well in his endeavours.      The EC Chairman however, appealed to Nana Akufo Addo and the NPP to play by the rules and conduct decent electioneering campaigns.      Dr. Bawumia, in an interaction with the media, said free basic and second cycle education has been on the forefront of the NPP’s Election 2012 campaign.       He said the NPP would do all that it takes to implement it to benefit Ghanaian children who were wasting their talents due to some financial constraints.      “We are happy Ghanaians are buying into the free education we are promising them and gave the assurance that the NPP will not disappoint them if they give their mandate to the party come December 7,” he stated.   GNA...

Accra, Oct. 17, GNA – The State says the two cases involving Justin Katinan, an ally of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, currently in custody would go on simultaneously.     Mrs Merley Wood, a Chief State Attorney, appearing before an Accra District Magistrate Court on Wednesday said her instructions were that the two cases would run parallel.     Mr Patrick Sorgbodzor urged the court not to allow itself to be used to practice the state of absurdity adding, “there was no basis for the state to pursue the two cases”.     The Magistrate, Mr Ali Baba Bature gave the State one week to come before it properly else would strike out the matter.     According to the court, Katinan’s rights as a refugee should be respected and he was not to be kept in custody with common criminals who might harm him.     On October 16, this year, an Accra District Magistrates’ Court asked the State Attorney to appear before it and explain the state of affairs in the case of Katinan.     According to the court, presided over by Mr Ali Baba Bature, the State had declared its intention to withdraw the charge of murder against Mr Katinan and put him before the Osu District Magistrate where he is facing robbery charges.     When the case was called yesterday, Mrs Merley Wood, a Chief State Attorney, who had earlier prosecuted the case, was not in court.     However, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abraham Annor, also a prosecutor, prayed the court to remand accused person to enable the International Police (INTERPOL) Accra and Abidjan to exchange some correspondence.     At the Osu Court today, the matter was adjourned to October 24.     Katinan was earlier on put before the Osu District court following charges of robbery preferred against him but was however granted GH¢50,000.00 bail.     However on October 1st, this year, he was brought before an Accra Magistrates’ court charged with conspiracy to murder and two counts of murder.     Katinan was said to have conspired with one Dalo Desire in Cote d’Ivoire to murder two men at Port Bouet in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.     According to the report, the first murder of a 33 year-old welder, Kamagate Seyobou, took place on March 19, 2011 while the second one, Diabate Drissa, 37, a trader, also took place on March 29, 2011, both at Port Bouet.     Katinan’s plea was not taken and he was remanded.     The state said on March 19, 2011, Katinan conspired with Desire to murder Seydou in Port Boute in Abidjan.     According to the state, Katinan and Desire on March 29, 2011 also attacked and murdered Drissa. A complainant, known as Kamgate Bakary, reported the incident to the Ivorian authorities.     On September 29, this year, Ivorian authorities issued a warrant in respect of Katinan and informed the Ghanaian authorities that he was in Ghana and demanded his arrest.   GNA...

Bawku (U/E) Oct. 17, GNA - Mr. Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister on Tuesday called on newly appointed District Chief Executives (DCEs)  for the newly created districts in the Upper East Region to operate an open door administration for collective administration.      Mr. Woyongo said an open door administration would allow all stakeholders from the grassroot level to take active part in the decision-making process for the development of the area.      He explained that this process would allow people to contribute to the development of the and upliftment of the area.      Mr. Woyongo was speaking at the confirmation of the District Chief Executive of Pusiga Mr. Alhassan Abugbila, of the newly created district near Bawku in the Upper East Region.      Mr. Woyongo noted that the newly created district would bring about good governance and development and accomplish the dream of the local governance policies.      He said this would deepen the decentralized system of governance and create platforms for people at the grass root level to participate effectively in decision-making for the development of their areas.      Mr. Woyongo disclosed that GH¢100.000 had been allocated to help start the new districts as they had not yet begun generating revenue for themselves.      He hinted that 100 street lights and other amenities had been acquired to help start the districts in the region.      The Regional Minister commended government for making good use of the decentralized concept and called on the DCEs to make good use of their position to bring development to their people.      Mr. Abugbila, who polled 100 percent votes from 15 elected and 6 government appointed assemblymen and women promised to work hand in hand with all stakeholders for the development of the area.      Mr. Abugbila said he would remain committed in serving the area by improving on health, education and the socio-economic activities of the area.      He assured that he would help mobilize revenue to develop the area and to raise the standard of living of the people.   GNA...

Nkroful (W|R),Oct. 17, GNA -The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has assured Ghanaians that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would conduct a clean, transparent and peaceful elections to position Ghana as a beacon of democracy before the international community.      He condemned those engaged in dirty politics such as the removal and defacing of posters and that of malice, hatred, character assassination and vilifications to tarnish the image of their political rivals before the electorate to win more votes.      Mr. Buah, who is also a Deputy Minister of Energy, was addressing the people of Nkroful when he filed his nomination as the NDC Parliamentary candidate at the office of the Electoral Commission (EC) on Wednesday morning.      He asked party supporters to eschew violence and adopt strategies such as the house-to-house campaign and retain him and the party in power to bring more development to the area.      Mr. Buah said all political parties in the country have signed a code of conduct towards a free, fair and transparent poll and dismissed rumours in certain quarters that the election is a life and death affair.      He said Ellembelle has its own code of conduct to guide him in the development agenda, adding that, if Mr. Freddie Blay, former MP for the area had such a policy document for his 12-year reign, it would have spearheaded the development of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s constituency.      He assured the EC that the NDC government will provide the necessary logistics and will not make its work difficult in the run-up to the elections.     The District Electoral Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Aidoo said copies of the code of conduct have been made available to all political parties and asked polling station executives to study it and work in tandem with it.      He asked the people to commit themselves to prayer and exercise their franchise in a peaceful manner.   GNA...