Happenings - People - Places - Events
Ghana
Dissidents Warned
The Secretary for Information, Miss. Joyce Aryee, has warned Ghanaian dissidents abroad who try to destabilize the country by force that their attempts would be met with stronger force.Addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Aflao near the Ghana-Togo border, Miss. Aryee said they are confident that each time the dissidents. bring in people to destabilize the revolution, as they did on June 19 this year, "we shall rout them, and next time they make the attempt, we shall follow them across the border in hot pursuit".
$377.62 Million Approved
Ghana has so far been granted a total of 377.62 million dollars under a standby facility and a compensatory financing facility by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to offset short fall in its traditional exports.According to Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, Secretary for Finance and Economic Planning, the loan was made up of 250.87 million dollars under the stand by facility and 126.75 million dollars under the compensatory financing facility.
The compensatory financing facility had been paid to Ghana since August 3, this year, while the 250.87 million dollars would be disbursed in five instalments of 50.1 million dollars begining mid-August.
Repayment of the loan would be made quarterly over a period of 12 months.
According to the Secretary, the unanimous manner the executive of the IMF approved the loan demonstrated the interest they had in the proposals presented and the mode of repayment.
Allaying fears of a section of the public that Ghana was being pawned, Dr. Botchwey said every needy nation was allowed to state what it wanted the loan for and in which areas.
He failed to understand why Ghana should belong to the IMF, pay its quota and yet fail to benefit from its resources.
We're Ready To Die For Revolution
The Winneba district organiser of the national youth organising commission (NYOC) Mr. E.K. Asare, has said that a revolution is not a perishable commodity but rather an ongoing process.He advised those who are bent on overthrowing the PNDC to change their mind and join hands with the revolutionary organs in seeking the welfare of the ordinary Ghanaian.
Mr. Asare was addressing 34 student volunteers from Winneba working on the commission's food crop farm after he had inspected the farm.
He noted that the leadership of Ghana's revolution had a strong spiritual resistance, and would be difficult to corrupt.
Mr. Asare said they were prepared to die in their determination to effect changes in the interest of the suffering masses.
He told the volunteers that as followers of the on-going revolutionary process they should be disciplined in order to put the enemies to shame.
Search For Weapons A Body Found
A number of unregistered weapons were seized during a special search of houses around Kanda by a detachment of the army and police.A release issued to the press from the office of PNDC said the thorough ness of the search led to the discovery of the remains of the corpse of a three year-old child buried in one of the compounds.
It said a woman living in the house where the corpse was found is assisting the police in investigating the circumstances surrounding the bizarre discovery.
OAU Support Arab Cause
The Chairman of the Organisation of African Unity has expressed the OAU's support for the Palestinian cause.Ethiopian Leader Mengistu Haile Mariam said this in his capacity as OAU chairman, in a message to the United Nations conference on Palestine held in Geneva recently. It is tragic to note that for nearly four decades, the rights of the people of Palestine have been trampled under foot in full view of the international community.
Upper Volta
Freeze on contracts revoked
The new military government in Upper Volta has revoked its ban order on contracts, business transactions and payments by the state, paving the way for the resumption of economic activities in this sahelian country, one of the poorest nations in the world.A Ministry of Finance statement advised traders, who are suppliers to the government, to accept regular dockets and orders given out and signed by financial controllers and military authorities as obligations of the state.
Mali
Donation
The Leninist Komsomol Soviet Youth Organisation has made a donation of sports, photographic and office equipment and three motorcycles to Mali's Nation Youth Union (UNJM).The presentation took place at the USSR Embassy in Bamako in the presence of Malik Ambassador and Amadou Daouda Fazilor, Soviet Diallo, Secretary General of the UNJM.
Mauritania
Soviet ties strengthened
An agreement consolidating culture and sports co-operation between Mauritania and South Korea, has been signed in Seoul.Dr. Diagana Youssouf, Minister of Culture Youth and Sports signed for Mauritania while South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister appended his signature for the Seoul Government.
President Eyadema Congratulates Shagari
President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo has sent a message of congratulations to President Shehu Shagari on his re-election for a second term.In a special message delivered by his Foreign Minister, the Togolese leader praised President Shehu Shagari for his "realism and pragmatism".
President Eyadema said that as one the "Pillars" of ECOWAS, President Shagari should use his influence to avoid ideological conflicts between ECOWAS countries as well as threats to peace and security in these countries and Africa.
The President and the Foreign Minister also discussed other matters of interest, such as the issues of Chad, Western Sahara and the negotiations between ACP and EEC Countries.
Socialist teachers sacked
Three hundred socialist-oriented teachers have been given the boot in Liberia. The dismissals, ordered by the Head of State Mr. Samuel Doe, have been applauded by the President of the National Union of Liberian Teachers who said the action was long overdue.He said the decision should have been taken a long time ago because as he put it, the Minister for Education is aware that the higher education system in Liberia was rotten and needed overhaul.
The teachers leader concedes that replacing the 300 teachers is bound to create problems because of poor Incentives offered to teachers in the country.
He said a possible alternative is to recruit foreign teachers, an exercise which he said, could be very costly.
Top Civil Servants Advised To Resign
Principal secretaries and head of state organizations who think that their political views are opposed to the revolution have been advised to resign.Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, who gave the advice, warned that the foot-dragging and absolute lack of enthusiasm and initiative that had gone on for the past 18 months would henceforth not be tolerated.
Dr. Botchwey, who is the secretary for finance and economic planning was addressing the heads.
He noted that it was disheartening that heads of state organizations could choose to ignore government directives and policies that were in the interest of the nation.
He asked such heads to wake up from the slumber in which they found themselves because the government would not accept their stand.
Dr. Botchwey asked those who deliberately refused to carry out
Uganda
"Kidnap Rumours Are Baseless"
Ugandan Minister of State in the office of the President, Mr. Chris Rwakasisi has lashed at rumours circulating to the effect that children of school age were being kidnapped in the Kampala area describing it as baseless and aimed at disrupting and diverting the people from the main objective of constructing the country.He told all Ugandans to dismiss the rumour with the contempt it deserves.
Nigeria
"Naira won't be devalued"
The Minister for Finance, Mr. Victor Masi, has declared in London that the Federal Government will not devalue the Naira and "presently has no plan to do so".The Minister made the declaration while performing the opening ceremony of the branch of the Union Bank of Nigeria in London.
The Minister said: "the necessary and sufficient conditions for devalu ation to be operative and to achieve the desired objective is non-existent"
Mr. Masi stated that an appropriate growth rate was being recorded both in the manufacturing and the agricultural sectors adding that the external reserve situation was now under firm control due to steady and increased oil exports and the sharp decline in imports.
On import liberalisation, the Minister said: "the question of import liberalisation hardly deserve any analysis for one can rightly describe it from the Nigerian angle as nothing short or economic suicide".
Mr. Masi also outlined measures taken by the Federal Government to diversify the revenue base.
These include the establishment of major industries such as the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, the Iwopin, Jebba and Calabar paper mills, the Petrochemical Industry, the Nitrogenous fertilizer, the Liquified Natural Gas and the River Basin development projects.
Nigeria, he said, also embarked on "a definite design" to make herself sufficient in food production by the year 1985 through the Green Revolution Programme.
The Minister agreed that the Nigerian economy "has seen acute trouble" in recent times, due mainly to the instability in the oil market but added, "it is certainly not true that the Nigerian economy is declining".
He also enumerated other economic measures taken by the Federal Government which include Incentives for the manufacturing and Agricultural production sectors and for foreign investments.
Speaking on the incentives for foreign investments in Nigeria, the Minister enumerated measures taken by the Federal Government to guarantee their safety.
These include tax relief in a variety of ways, including the granting of the pioneer status which provides relief from income tax during the early years of industrial concerns engaged in pioneer efforts.
Air Operational Licence Revoked
The Federal Government of Nigeria has revoked the air operational licence granted to Nigerian International Air Service limited (Hanzar) to operate non-scheduled passenger and cargo air charter services.This was as a result of the company's flagrant violation of the terms and conditions of the licence granted it to operate its airline within and outside Nigeria.
The Federal Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Musa Habib Jega, who announced this in a statement in Lagos, said that all activities of the company relating to the grant of the licence should be discontinued.
The National Committee Against Apartheid, (NACAP) in Nigeria has been enjoined to step up its efforts to mobilise public opinion to enable it contribute effectively to the early independence of Namibia and the eventual elimination of apartheid in South Africa.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Shehu Musa, made the call while declaring open the new Secretariat building of the organisation in Lagos.
He emphasised that the eradication and elimination of apartheid in accord ance with the principle of non-discrim ination embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declar ation of Human Rights and the OAU Charter, were of prime concern to the present administration as they were to previous Nigerian Governments.
Political Activity Banned
The Benue police command has banned all forms of political activities in the state for two weeks, the command said in a statement in Makurdi. The statement signed by the State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Aminu Malumfashi explained that any politician or political party supporter flouting the order will be dealt with according to the law. According to the statement police patrols will be intensified throughout the state to ensure compliance.Commonwealth Centre Opens In London
An Information Centre and a resource library which will provide adequate information on all Commonwealth Countries has been opened at the Commonwealth Institute London, by Nigeria's Information Director in Western Europe Mr. Moses Ekpo.Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Ekpo said that the Centre had come at a time when the image of Commonwealth countries were constantly being distorted in the United Kingdom.
He said that the new generation of Britons seemed to know nothing about those countries where their parents once lived and worked, adding that this lack of knowledge had done a lot in weakening the obvious link between Britain and Commonwealth countries.
Mr. Ekpo expressed the hope that the youths will make good and adequate use of the Centre and thereby enrich themselves about Common wealth countries which have a long tradition of connection with Britain.
A bookshop specially set up to promote publications by Commonwealth authors was also opened during the ceremony.
