Cape Coast, Nov. 22, GNA – A Cape Coast magistrate’s court on Wednesday jailed Anthony Edem Kofi Esirifi, a 21-year-old unemployed man, for 18 months in hard labour for stealing two mobile phones and GHc200.00   Esirifi pleaded guilty.   Chief Inspector Safo Khanen told the court presided over by Mr. Ohemeng Mensah that last Saturday,  Aba Korba,  a fishmonger and resident of Moree locked her room and  slept in front of the room.   The court heard that when Korba woke up the next morning she realized that someone had broken the window and entered the room and stole GHC 200.00 and two mobile phones.   Chief Insp. Khanen said last Monday, when the complainant went to a phone repairing shop to collect her repaired phone, she met the convict holding one of the stolen phones.   The prosecution said the complainant raised the alarm and the convict was apprehended and handed over to the police.   Chief Inp. Khanen said Esirifi in his caution statement told the police that he bought the phone from an unknown person.   GNA...

Nyinahin (Ash), Nov 22, GNA – The Nyinahin Magistrate Court has sentenced a farmer, Azumah Issah, to 700 days imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody.       The convict, who had been arrested for attempted rape on April 11, feigned insanity, when arraigned.         The court therefore ordered that he should be sent to the Ankafo Psychiatric Hospital and there he escaped but was re-arrested at Appiakrom in the Atwima-Mponua District on November 15.        He pleaded guilty to the offence.        The court presided over by Mr Sam Nibi directed the police to prosecute the convict for rape.   GNA...

Nyinahin (Ash), Nov 22, GNA – The Nyinahin Magistrate Court has sentenced a farmer, Azumah Issah, to 700 days imprisonment for escaping from lawful custody.       The convict, who had been arrested for attempted rape on April 11, feigned insanity, when arraigned.         The court therefore ordered that he should be sent to the Ankafo Psychiatric Hospital and there he escaped but was re-arrested at Appiakrom in the Atwima-Mponua District on November 15.        He pleaded guilty to the offence.        The court presided over by Mr Sam Nibi directed the police to prosecute the convict for rape.   GNA...

Islamabad, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - At least 25 people were killed and 77 injured in three bomb attacks targeting the Shiite minority in Pakistan, police and rescue officials said on Thursday.   A bomber in a suicide vest attacked a religious procession in Rawalpindi near Islamabad just before midnight on Wednesday, said Muhammad Haroon, an official with the office of the city police chief.   Deeba Shehnaz, spokeswoman for the Rescue 1122 service, told dpa that "23 civilians were killed and 62 people injured, including eight children and four policemen."   Haroon said the bomber, aged around 18, tried to enter the Muharram festival procession and detonated his explosive-laden vest when he was stopped by volunteers deployed at the entry point.   "We have found the head of the attacker and we are investigating to identify him," he said.   Another two people were killed Wednesday in two more bomb attacks in the southern city of Karachi. Both attacks targeted Shiites, Hashim Raza, the Karachi police commissioner, told dpa.   A motorbike rigged with explosives was detonated near a Shiite mosque in Orangi Town, killing one person and injuring seven. In the second incident, a bomb was planted in the wall of a mosque in the same locality, killing one person and injuring eight.   Taliban militants Thursday took responsibility for all three attacks, while admitting that the target was the Shiite gatherings.   Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the Pakistani militant outfit, said the Shiites were targeted as they "insult" the Muslim prophet Mohammed and the Koran, their holy book.   "We take responsibility for the attacks at both the places (in Rawalpindi and Karachi)," Ehsan said in a statement.   "We will continue to achieve our targets, irrespective of security measures taken by (the Pakistani Interior Minister) Rehman Malik," he said.   Shiite Muslims make up around 20 per cent of Pakistan's population. They are often considered heretics by the majority Sunni Muslims and frequently targeted by extremists.   The government has increased security where Shiites meet to observe their Muharram festival in which they mourn the death of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed.   The bombing came on the eve of a summit meeting of eight developing Muslim countries in the capital Islamabad. GNA  ...

Beirut, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - Syrian government troops have killed dozens of what state television Thursday termed as "terrorists” near the capital Damascus.   Daraya, on the outskirts of Damascus, has been the scene of some of the worst violence in Syria’s 21-month conflict.   "The Syrian army managed in an operation that lasted two days in the area of Daraya to eliminate a terrorist group and liberate civilians who had been used by terrorists as human shields," reported the broadcaster, referring to rebels fighting to oust the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.   Mortar shells were Thursday fired at a government facility and a private building in the district of Mezze in Damascus, said the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It gave no casualty figure.   Elsewhere, rebel fighters have taken control of a government artillery base in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour and killed at least six government soldiers, reported opposition activists.   At least 39,000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising started in March last year against al-Assad's rule, according to the opposition. Independent verification of reports coming out of Syria is hampered by government restrictions on the movement of journalists. GNA  ...

Brussels, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday vowed to negotiate "very hard" for a European Union budget that reflects the austerity being implemented nationally, ahead of what is expected to be an acrimonious summit on the 2014-20 spending plan.   "I'm not happy at all," Cameron told reporters in Brussels as he arrived for a meeting with EU president Herman Van Rompuy ahead of the two-day summit.   "Clearly, at a time when we're making difficult decisions at home over public spending, it would be quite wrong, it is quite wrong for there to be proposals for this increased spending in the EU," he added. "We're going to be negotiating very hard for a good deal for Britain's taxpayers and for Europe's taxpayers."   Cameron also said he would fight to "keep the British rebate," a reduction from EU budget contributions that former premier Margaret Thatcher had secured for Britain in the 1980s after an epic battle with European partners.   Cameron is seen as the biggest obstacle to an agreement on the EU budget at the summit - although nine other member states have also threatened vetoes over various issues, according to a count by eurosceptic group Open Europe.   London has advocated for the most cuts, arguing for a real-terms budget freeze that diplomats say would require about 200 billion euros (257 billion dollars) to be slashed off the 1.09 trillion euros in spending commitments proposed by the European Commission.   As a compromise, Van Rompuy has proposed cutting 80 billion euros off the EU executive's proposal, but the plan has drawn fire from all sides. He is expected to present a new draft after his pre-summit so-called "confessionals" with all of the EU leaders throughout Thursday.   The 2014-20 budget - technically known as the multi-annual financial framework or MFF - will set maximum spending limits, as well as define where the money should go and where it should come from.   Most of the funds flow back into member states for everything from road-building projects to support for farmers. GNA  ...

Accra, Nov. 22, GNA - Council of Women Traditional Leaders (CWTL) has appealed to all stakeholders in the coming elections to conduct themselves in a manner that would guarantee peaceful elections, declaring: “We don’t want war, we want peace.”   Nana Amba Eyieba, Queen Mother of Oguaa and Coordinator of CWTL, made the appeal on behalf of queenmothers at a durbar in Accra to celebrate the achievement and progress of CWTL for its 10 years existence.   She said Ghanaians could not afford to lose the peaceful atmosphere currently prevailing in the country because when there is war it is women and children who suffer the most.   She called on the security agencies, the electoral commission, political parties, the media, and the entire citizenry particularly the youth not to engage in acts that would mar the current peace in the society.   Nana Eyieba said the theme for the durbar: “From peace in the home to the nation and to the world”, was most appropriate because Ghana was in another critical stage of its democratic process of proving to be the beacon of peace in the sub region.   She said Queenmothers served as symbol of peace who occupy unique place in society to play leading role in consolidating peace at all times.   Nana Eyieba said CWTL has been able to engage the Electoral Commission to carry out electoral sensitization exercises and assist in undertaking capacity building activities for the media.   In her welcome address, Mamaga Amega Kofibra I, President of CWTL and Queen Mother of Peki, said that women commanded influence at all levels of society and thus should be at the forefront of promoting peace.   She added though the 1992 constitution defines and guarantees the role of Queenmothers, they were still not visible as their male counterparts until 2001 when the idea of forming CWTL was conceived at a conference on chieftaincy, culture and governance held in Accra.   Professor Irene Odotei, Executive Director of Institute for Research and Advocacy Training, highlighting on peace during and after Election 2012 advised Ghanaians to protect the integrity of the electoral process by conducting themselves well.   GNA...

Sydney, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - Some Australians see roadside memorials to traffic accident victims as tacky encroachments on public space that impertinently parade a grief best kept private.   To others, the assemblies of photos, flowers, trinkets and testimonials are to be celebrated as a triumph of the human spirit over a senseless death.   They see in the flourishing makeshift shrines, sacred, secular and sometimes profane, a refreshing cultural shift in the way we mourn.   "It's what has been called the disenfranchised grief - people who don't feel they belong to the rules and regulations of the state or the rules and regulations of the church," University of New England historian Jennifer Clark said.   "It's a post-1960s view that people respond to their own conscience. They decide what is right and wrong and good for them. There's a lot of autonomy being practised in this exercise."   The collapse of protocols that kept shows of grief to black outfits at funerals and bunches of flowers in the graveyard is proving a challenge to authorities.   They have to set new rules, limit the infringement of private demands on common land and either turn a blind eye to the modern practice or codify it.   The state government in New South Wales, which has responsibility for highways, insists shrines be no more than the size of a suitcase but sets no time limit, saying "roadside tributes should be removed after an appropriate period of mourning."   In contrast, Queensland state officials are more accommodating, allowing memorials to be "in place indefinitely, provided they are regularly maintained by family and friends and do not become a road safety hazard."   Town councils, which maintain local roads, vary in their approach. Mark Gardiner, of Sydney's Marrickville Council, said there was no set policy and officials "let things take their course."   In Rockingham, a Perth suburb, the bereaved are limited to small white, wooden crosses and informed that "one roadside memorial shall be allowed per life lost for a period of up to 14 months only."   The state of South Australia is even more prescriptive, insisting that roadside shrines be gone in "a maximum of six weeks from the date of the accident."   Just as the bereaved are now taking more liberties with the common land, those against what they see as personal grief intruding into public space are rising up to keep memorials within bounds.   In Bendigo, a town in Victoria, when an aggrieved mourner offered a reward for the names of those who defaced a roadside memorial, the local paper erupted in a war of words.   One anonymous letter-writer complained that while "knick-knacks like teddy bears, skateboards and other memorabilia might be special to the person who put it there, it's all rubbish to the rest of us!"   At a busy Sydney road junction a bicycle sprayed white and chained to a traffic light is being colonized by the undergrowth. A white cross nailed to a nearby power pole suggests the deceased was called Konrad.   A dip into police records notes that a cyclist died at that spot at approximately 3:30 pm on November 16, 2010.   "Police have conducted extensive inquiries at the scene and spoken with a number of witnesses," the archive entry reads. "No charges are expected to be laid."   According to Clark, a world authority on roadside memorials, the ghost bike serves to shift awareness from a statistic in a ledger to a morgue near you.   "One thing it's done is made a difference to the way we look at road trauma," she said. "It's been a hidden form of death, a statistic at the end of the year. But there was never much attention paid to the individualism of those people." GNA  ...

Accra, Nov 22, GNA – Mr James Owusu, a businessman, on Thursday heaped praises on the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and said the second debate it organised for presidential candidates of parties with representation in parliament was excellent.   He said IEA made significant changes to its “modus operandi” and this contributed hugely to the success of the event. Mr Owusu, who was among people the GNA interviewed on their reaction to the debate, said what impressed him most was the presidential candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) sat comfortably and answered questions a two-member panel fired at them.   The first debate held at Tamale drew flak from people the GNA interviewed because President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC, Dr CPP’s Dr Abu Sakara, Mr Hassan Ayariga of the PNC and the NPP’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo were made to stand for four hours. He said the lady professor on the panel was hard on the audience and made sure the debate venue was as quite as a university lecture hall.   “The first debate was a four-hour torture session. The future presidents - the youngest, 40 years old and the oldest, 65 years old - were on their feet for four hours and these gentlemen have been going round the country campaigning,” he said. Mr Owusu said the second debate seemed shorter than the first and this is another big plus for the IEA, adding “Last night’s event was different and I score 100 per cent for IEA.”   A public servant who wants to remain anonymous said the lady professor was at her “motherly and wifely” best and allowed the audience to give expression to their emotions. She said the audience, made up very important personalities including the top brass of the political parties whose candidates took part in the debate, clapped and laughed in reaction to points the candidates made.   She said the lady professor did nothing to stop them and it was good because it made the event lively and people did not fall asleep. “I am sure audience reaction served as a catalyst for the candidates and they were excellent. It was a political event and there was nothing wrong allowing people to make noise because politicians love noise,” she said.   A banker, Mr Kwaku Ansah, told the GNA that the candidates looked presidential in their seats unlike the first debate when they stood for four solid hours answering questions from Prof and Kojo who were comfortably seated. He said he watched the programme from the beginning to the end and learnt a lot.   GNA...

New Delhi, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - Authorities in a central Indian state Thursday warned that men who sexually harass or taunt women will not be issued driving licenses and passports, or lose their documents.   Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh state Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the move at a public meeting, while urging people to oppose harassment and violence against women, officials said.   "We are all set to implement the project to control Eve-teasing in the state," government spokesman Rakesh Srivastava said, using a South Asian euphemism for the sexual harassment or taunting of women.   "Police is already preparing a database of such offenders."   "Men against whom police investigations confirm such offences will not be given passports or driving licenses. Offenders who already hold licenses or passports will lose them," Srivastava said by phone from state capital Bhopal.   Madhya Pradesh is geographically the second-largest state in India and has a population of about 72 million.   Women's rights groups say harassment is a major problem in India, which is also considered one of the most unsafe countries for women, with high reported rates of rape and abductions. GNA  ...

Abora (C/R), Nov 21, GNA- Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Wednesday underscored the need for an effective national program for qualitative education for world class marketable skills, competencies and professionalism.   He said it was necessary that all levels of the education were well catered for to ensure maximum development of the human resources.   Consequently, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) would see to a gradual and steady approach to the education sector, by ensuring universal access.   Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Abora and Abora Dunkwa, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the government would build more schools and that the NDC had demonstrated its commitment to qualitative education by constructing more structures to replace schools under trees, giving free uniforms to Basic Schools pupils, expanding the School Feeding Programme and providing of free exercise books.   The Vice President said the NDC was development oriented and urged the people to retain it in the next polls for a continuation and completion of the progress it had started in the last three and half years.   He inaugurated an 18-unit classroom block built with financial support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund at the Aburaman Senior High School at Abura Dunkwa.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 22, GNA -The second MTN Pumpkins Kids Day Out has been launched with a call on society to support underprivileged children.   Personality of the yuletide edition, actor John Dumelo, challenged children themselves to help support their own.   Mr Dumelo lauded efforts by the organizers and the team of sponsors for the show of love to children in need, while encouraging healthy lifestyles as well as child learning through recreation.   The programme which takes off officially on December 15 in Accra is aimed at promoting family bonding where members can enjoy themselves and learn together, while supporting children in need by ensuring the rights, wellbeing and education of all children.   After attaining a huge success at the maiden edition, management of Pumpkins Company Limited announced the yuletide edition of the MTN - Pumpkins Kids Day Out, with focus on less privileged children.   Media liaison Whitney Boakye promised an event jam-packed with the very best in family entertainment, games, competitions, interactions, food, music and more.    Boakye encouraged children to donate their slightly used items to be auctioned, out of which proceeds and all others including a gate fee of Ghc 5.00 would go to the John Dumelo Foundation, a body that supported the rights, wellbeing and education of all children.   Programmes Director of the MTN-Pumpkins Kids Day Out, Baisiwa Dowuona-Hammond, said the event would also bring together a team of experts including Mr Victor Tandoh of the National Road Safety Commission, Dr Maame Yaa Nyarko of the Children’s Hospital as well as Broadcaster Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to speak on various issues such road safety, healthy living and the significance of giving.   She said a grooming expert, Ekuba Cudjoe, would take the children through party etiquette.   Mrs Dowuona-Hammond said “it could not have been a better time for family bonding where members can laugh and learn together, while supporting a good cause”.   She challenged parents and their families to join hands with organizers and their team of sponsors to put smiles on the faces of voiceless children.   Beneficiary orphanage from ‘The John Dumelo Foundation’ and five others would be catered for in the second edition slated for December 15, 2012 at the Aviation Social Centre in Accra.   The event would feature some of Ghana's finest performers including Kwaw Kese, Okyeame Kwame, D Black, Trigmatic as well as Awal, Cartoon, Enoch the comedian and more of the child stars the country has seen in recent times.   Representatives of sponsors of the event such as MTN, rlg,  Alisa Hotels, the Aviation Social Center, Indomie , Muscatella, Voltic Mineral Water, Nestle Milo and Nido, pledged their commitment to ensure a better livelihood for the Ghanaian child.   GNA...

Tel Aviv/Ramallah, NOV. 22 (dpa/GNA) - Israeli forces arrested 55 Palestinians in the West Bank overnight, Palestinians and the Israeli military said.   The arrests follow a wave of protests in the West Bank over Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.   Those arrested included militants from the Islamic Jihad, as well as from Hamas. GNA  ...

Accra, Nov 22, GNA - The Ghana Open Data Portal (GODP) has been officially opened to the public to enable them access government data from Ministries, Departments and Agencies.   A statement by GOPI copied the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the portal was built on the Open Government Platform, a cataloguing platform jointly developed by the United States and Indian governments for open government data.   It said the platform was deployed by the GODI technical team with the Web Foundation as advisors.   The statement explained that the portal showcased over 80 government datasets from the Ghana Statistical Service, Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Education,   National Communications Authority, National Road Safety Commission, Public Procurement Authority, Ministry of Finance and many others.   It stated that the GODI project began in January 2012, after the late President John Atta Mills signed Ghana on to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in September 2011.   The statement said Alhassan Azong, Minister of State at the Presidency responsible for Public Sector Reform chairs the National Steering Committee for OGP – Ghana.   “As a member country of OGP, Ghana is expected to produce an Action Plan by December 2012,” it said.   The statement said three zonal public consultations were held in October 2012, in the Northern, Ashanti and Central regions, which culminated in a National Forum held in Accra, on November 7, 2012 to validate the draft Action Plan.   It said the GODI project was one of the thematic areas being considered in developing Ghana’s Action Plan under the OGP -Ghana.   The statement cited Dr. Nii Quaynor, co-chair of the GODI Steering Committee, as saying; “government is focused on creating an ecosystem of open data where government, civil society and software developers will interact continuously to ensure that information on both demand and supply sides of the open data is optimized.   “The portal will help Ghana improve upon its policy-making ability and help government provide better services to the citizenry,” he added.   The statement said GODI, in collaboration with the World Bank Institute, Google and the African Media Initiative, organized a Data Journalism Bootcamp, in Accra, to train journalists, software developers and civil society to develop applications on open data ahead of the official launch of the Portal by December 2013.   It said Mr. William Tevie, GODI Project Director and Director General of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) said the portal was a Beta version which would enable the public to download government data for re-use and that the   GODI Technical Team would continuously improve the portal by introducing instant visualization of data and user-friendly applications that would make it easy for citizens to understand government data and send feedback.   GNA...

Hohoe, Nov 22, GNA - Action on climate change needs to be scaled-up and accelerated without delay if the world is to have a running chance of keeping a global average temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius this century.   The Emissions Gap Report, coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Climate Foundation, and released days before the convening of the Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Doha, shows that greenhouse gas emissions levels are now around 14 per cent above where they need to be in 2020.   Instead of declining, concentration of warming gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) are actually increasing in the atmosphere—up around 20 per cent since 2000.   If no swift action is taken by nations, emissions are likely to be at 58 gigatonnes (Gt) in eight years’ time, says the report which has involved 55 scientists from more than 20 countries.   This will leave a gap that is now bigger than it was in earlier UNEP assessments of 2010 and 2011 and is in part as a result of projected economic growth in key developing economies and a phenomenon known as ‘double counting’ of emission offsets.   Previous assessment reports have underlined that emissions need to be on average at around 44 Gt or less in 2020 to lay the path for the even bigger reductions needed at a cost that is manageable. The Emissions Gap Report 2012 points out that even if the most ambitious level of pledges and commitments were implemented by all countries—and under the strictest set of rules—there will now be a gap of 8 Gt of CO2 equivalent by 2020.   This is 2 Gt higher than last year’s assessment with yet another year passing by.   Preliminary economic assessments, highlighted in the new report, estimate that inaction will trigger costs likely to be at least 10 to 15 per cent higher after 2020 if the needed emission reductions are delayed into the following decades.   Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said: “There are two realities encapsulated in this report—that bridging the gap remains do-able with existing technologies and policies; that there are many inspiring actions taking place at the national level on energy efficiency in buildings, investing in forests to avoid emissions linked with deforestation and new vehicle emissions standards alongside a remarkable growth in investment in new renewable energies worldwide, which in 2011 totalled close to 260 billion US dollars”.   “Yet the sobering fact remains that a transition to a low carbon, inclusive Green Economy is happening far too slowly and the opportunity for meeting the 44 Gt target is narrowing annually,” he added.   “While governments work to negotiate a new international climate agreement to come into effect in 2020, they urgently need to put their foot firmly on the action pedal by fulfilling financial, technology transfer and other commitments under the UN Climate Convention treaties. There are also a wide range of complementary voluntary measures that can bridge the gap between ambition and reality now rather than later,” said Mr. Steiner.   The report estimates that there are potentially large emissions reductions possible—in a mid-range of 17 Gt of CO2 equivalents—from sectors such as buildings, power generation and transport that can more than bridge the gap by 2020.   Meanwhile, there are abundant examples of actions at the national level in areas ranging from improved building codes to fuel standards for vehicles which, if scaled up and replicated, can also assist.   Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said, "This report is a reminder that time is running out, but that the technical means and the policy tools to allow the world to stay below a maximum 2 degrees Celsius are still available to governments and societies”.   The report looked at sectors where the necessary emissions reductions may be possible by 2020.   Improved energy efficiency in industry could deliver cuts of between 1.5 to 4.6 Gt of CO2 equivalent; followed by agriculture, 1.1 to 4.3 Gt; forestry 1.3 to 4.2 Gt; the power sector, 2.2 to 3.9 Gt; buildings 1.4 to 2.9 Gt; transportation including shipping and aviation 1.7 to 2.5 Gt and the waste sector around 0.8 Gt.   The report points out that some sectors have even bigger potential over the long term—boosting the energy efficiency of buildings, for example, could deliver average reductions of around 2.1 Gt by 2020 but cuts of over 9Gt CO₂ equivalent by 2050.   “This implies that by 2050 the building sector could consume 30 per cent less electricity compared to 2005 despite a close to 130 per cent projected increase in built floor area over the same period,” it says.   The report concludes that if this is to happen, “state of the art building codes may need to become mandatory in the next 10 years in all of the major economies such as the United States, India, China and the European Union”.   Further emission reductions are possible from more energy efficient appliances and lighting systems. The report cites Japan’s Top Runner Programme and the Ecodesign Directive of the European Union which have triggered household electricity consumption savings of 11 per cent and 16 per cent respectively.   It also cites Ghana’s standards and labelling programme for air conditioners which is set to save consumers and businesses an estimated 64 million US dollars annually in reduced energy bills and around 2.8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent over 30 years.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday blamed politicians inflaming tensions in the media by producing concocted stories and falsehood designed to discredit their political opponents.   “The Ghana Journalist Association and the Private Newspapers Association of Ghana have the responsibility to step up surveillance by imposing self-regulation on Practitioners to strictly adhere to the rule of the game,” President Mahama said.   He was contributing to the question on media regulation in the second Institute of Economic Affairs Presidential debate that featured the National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, Convention Peoples Party and People National Convention.   The first Presidential debate was held in Tamale a month ago and this debate was the second and final one leading to the forthcoming December polls.   President Mahama said although the media had performed tremendously well in the country, there was the need for self-regulation for them to desist from deliberate concoction of stories and falsehood.   He said it was in that line of building the capacity of Journalists that motivated the NDC government to provide the media with GH¢2million to train and re-equip media houses and their personnel to become abreast with modern trends of communication.   The President appealed to Journalists to be circumspect and stay away from rumors.   GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday outlined plans that government had initiated to improve and promote science and Technology in the country.   He said apart from instituting the first ever Science Congress, where the best Scientist was given a car as a prize, government had also provided 5000 scholarships to science students especially girls who were willing to pursue Science, Technology and Mathematics in tertiary institutions.   President Mahama said this during his contribution to the second Institute of Economic Affairs Presidential debate in Accra.   The debate which was also participated by Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Forster Abu Sakara, Presidential Candidate of the Convention People’s Party and Mr Hassan Ayariga, Presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention was the last in the series before the December Polls.   President Mahama said government had distributed 66,000 laptop computers to students and would increase that distribution to ensure that they were conversant with the necessary skills that could spur the country into an advanced stage.   On management of the oil resources of the country, President Mahama said a number of legislations were underway to ensure that the benefits of oil and gas was maximized.   He said government had passed the Petroleum Management bill which was waiting Parliamentary approval, while the Local Content bill, which would increase the capacity of Ghanaians to participate in the oil and gas exploitation, was also underway to ensure maximum benefit to the country.   President Mahama said government was also encouraging the foreign companies to engage and maximize the participation of local companies.   He announced that government was also establishing the gas processing plant that would reduce the perennial importation of gas and its related products.   President Mahama said government would collaborate with neighbouring countries to fight against marine crime and make maximum benefits of the marine system in the country.   He said apart from providing the navy with seven new marine boats to execute their duties at the coastal areas, government was also training the police to operate marine vessels to complement the efforts of the navy.    President Mahama said outboard motors were also given to the fisherfolk to step up their operations to increase job creation in the country.   He denounced the perennial pollution of the seas and called on the public to desist from that practice as it could stifle all the efforts government was initiating to improve on living standards of people living along the coastal areas of the country.   On empowerment of women, President Mahama promised to set up a women endowment fund for women ready to take up political and responsible positions in society.       GNA ...

Accra, Nov 21, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday announced that government had done a lot and would continue to provide facilities that would reduce the high rate of maternal mortality in the country.   He said in the initial phase, government had already established 1300 CHPS compounds to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of women in the rural areas.   President Mahama announced this when he contributed to the second Institute of Economic Affairs Presidential Debate in Ghana.   The Presidential debate is engaging only Political Parties that have representation in Parliament and therefore reduced it to the National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Congress, Convention People’s Party and People’s National Convention.    President Mahama said maternal mortality was linked to the provision of other amenities and government would continue to provide motorable roads that would encourage private and commercial vehicles to transport patients to and from rural areas of the country.   He said in addition to those steps, government had also procured a total of 161 ambulances that were managed by the Ghana Ambulance Service to attend to emergency cases in the rural areas.   President Mahama said government was also establishing communication centres, where emergency cases could immediately be reported to health centres and the ambulance services to help prevent deaths.   The president said government had established a number of polyclinics and his administration was committed to increasing those facilities to ensure that many more people had adequate access to health facilities in the country.         GNA ...

Accra, Nov. 21, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday gave the assurance that Government would continue to uphold most of her foreign policies that would ensure peace, unity and development among her neighbours.   He said: “Government will continue to promote regional integration that will subsequently promote business and massive investment in the country.”   President Mahama gave this assurance when he participated in the second Institute of Economic Affairs Presidential Debate that featured the National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, Convention Peoples Party and Peoples National Convention on account of their representation in Parliament.   The President said his relations with neighbouring countries especially the Ivory Coast was very cordial and his administration would continue to deepen that relation for mutual benefit. He promised to also cooperate with neighbouring countries to harmonize the tax regimes to ensure the free flow of goods and services among them and to stem the perennial smuggling that had existed among the countries in the past.   President Mahama said government would also adopt economic diplomacy that would promote investment and lift up the image of the country by promoting tourism and other social activities in the country.   The President also promised to continue with the peacekeeping policy that government had upheld in the past saying “government is committed to deepening our foreign policies with our neighbours and other countries.”     GNA ...

Busunya (B/A), Nov. 21, GNA – Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Joseph Owusu, Nkoranza South Municipal Police Commander, has said the Police was ready to prevent any trouble in the coming elections. He advised the youth of political parties not to allow themselves to be deceived by politicians to foment trouble at polling stations since the law would deal with them drastically. DSP Owusu gave the advice when addressing a Parliamentary Candidates debate at Busunya in the Nkoranza North District of the Brong-Ahafo Region. The event was organised by the Nkoranza North District Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). Participants at the event included, Major Derek Yaw Oduro (Rtd) Incumbent NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Mr Kwadwo Agyei-Dwomor, for the NDC, Mr Kwaah Abdul Rahman for the PPP, Mr Daniel Baffoe for the CPP and Miss Esther Getrude Worae for the NDP. DSP Owusu urged drinking bar operators close to polling stations to avoid operating on that day so that miscreants do not use their facilities to create trouble. He said the Ghana Police Service had trained personnel to ensure adequate security in all the communities and called on the youth to be disciplined and comport themselves at the polling stations. Mr Emmanuel Kwame Etsiwah Ansah, Nkoranza North District Director of the NCCE, said the debate was to introduce the candidates to the electorate for them to know their vision, policies and programmes.     GNA ...