People, Places and Events
Forestry agreement the USSR
The Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Dr Solomon Nfor Gwei, has emphasised that the training of forestry technicians should be of a quality that would give maximum satisfaction in the near future. Dr Nfor Gwel was speaking on the occasion of the signing of a protocol agreement between Cameroon and the Soviet Union on the training of technical personnel at the forestry school at Mbalmayo,Dr Nfor Gwei expressed the wish that Soviet-Cameroonian co-operation would improve the present instructural quality of the forestry school at Mbalmayo.
He said: "We envisage for the next phase of our agreement the inclusion of a training component for Cameroonian teachers which will also include a better exchange of experience and methodology between forestry training in Cameroon and the USSR: such training will also ensure the progressive replacement of the Soviet personnel by Cameroonians. We also envis- age the improvement of equipment furnished by Soviet assistance in view to better adapting them to our own needs".
Also at the ceremony, the Soviet Ambassador to Cameroon, Spartak Zykov, said the Soviet Union was optimistic that economic co-operation between his country and Cameroon would take greater dimen- sions in other concrete areas of development.
CHAD
Habre is reassured by France
Shortly before his departure from France on October 7, President Habre received the French Defence Minister, Charles Hernu, who wanted to reassure him again that the French-Libyan disengagement agreement would be totally respected. Habre seemed to be satisfied, he thought the disengagement was a good thing and that it was in the Libyans interest to withdraw from northern Chad.Earlier, in an interview for French television, Habre referred to the very close relations between France and Chad; "these relations are governed by a certain number of co-operation agreements, and this co-operation will continue in all its aspects and hence we remain optimistic about the future
Concerning the Acnou strip he said; "if the Libyan side is willing to negotiate with as peacefully on this issue we are ready for it”
Zaire waits for green light
President Hissene Habre met with his Zairean counterpart Marshal Mobutu, who is currently in France on a private visit. The two leaders discussed the future of a 2,000-strong Zairean force stationed in Chad to support Mr Habre's government. France and Libya agreed last month to withdraw their forces from Chad, but the Zairean forces were excluded.A Zairean source said Zaire wanted to pull its troops out of Chad, but is waiting for a green light from the Chadian authorities.
The meeting was attended by Mr Habre, Mr Mobutu, French President Francois Mitterrand, Ivory Coast President Felix Houphouet-Boigny and Gabonese President Omar Bongo.
GUNT questions Paris summit
A GUNT statement on the recent "mini-summit" in Paris said the GUNT firmly maintained its position concerning the sending of observers from Senegal and Benin to Chad and could not accept any other arrangement proposed by the "neo-colonial" meeting in Paris. The GUNT also reaffirmed its agreement to the holding of a roundtable conference in Brazzaville as soon as possible.The statement questioned the real motive of the Paris meeting "reserved for the ultra-moderates of our continent", "by promising increased military co-operation with Ndjamena, is the Mitterrand Government not violating the agreement on military disengagement it signed with Libya?". It was clear, the statement said, that a plot against the Chad people had been planned in Paris at the instigation of the French President.
ECOWAS
Calls for multi-national shipping line
ECOWAS maritime experts have recommended the establishment of a multi-national coastal shipping line for the sub-region.The final report of the experts' consultative meeting held in Lome, Togo, last month, stressed that the lack of such a line "constituted a handicap to the development of inter-state trade in the sub-region".
The meeting recommended that in view of the large sums that would be invested, the shipping line should be a joint state and private venture with the ECOWAS fund initially holding the majority shares.
The meeting was attended by maritime experts from 13 of the 16 ECOWAS member states as well as officials of the ECOWAS secretariat, representatives of the UNCTAD, African Shippers' Association, Port Management Association for West and Central Africa and the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce.
Integration by 1989
The Executive Secretary of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Mr Aboubacar Quattara has noted that appreciable progress has been made in areas since the establishment of the community nine and a half years ago.He said that the areas included the implementation by member-states of the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons, the adoption of the protocol on assistance in defence matters and the introduction of the ECOWAS "brown card" to facilitate intra-community movement of vehicles.
Mr Quattara said that under the terms of a protocol signed in 1981, all customs and other tariffs in ECOWAS's 16-member states would give way by 1989, thus paving the way for the complete economic integration of the sub-region.
GHANA
Dial Accra direct on 233
Ghana joined the community of nation that could be dialed direct from Britain. Together with Syria and Sudan the calls to Ghana enjoy a British Telecom International newly introduced low cost service of a three minute call of £2.23.The cheap rate hours are between 8pm and 8am Monday to Friday and all day on weekends and Bank Holidays. The code number for Accra is 233.
Mahama succeeds Nandom Na on PNDC
The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) has appointed its Secretary for Transport and Telecommunications, Alhaji Mahama Idrissu as a member of the council. Mr Kwame Peprah, the Under Secretary will act as the Secretary for Transport and Telecommunications.Alhaji Idrissu is one of four politicians who were invited by Flt-Lt. Rawlings to join his revolutionary government in January 1982. The other three are Dr Obed Asamoah, currently Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and Messrs J.A. Kuffuor and K.B Asante, secretaries for Local Government and Trade respectively who were pressured to resign from the government.
Alhaji Idrissu was the Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party which contested the 1979 elections under a constitution signed and overthrown by Fit-L Jerry Rawlings.
He joins the PNDC as a successor to fellow northerner, Naa Chiri Polkus. Nandom Na who died last month.
Ban lifted
The ban has been lifted on applications for Special Unnumbered Licences (SUL).Committee on early disposal of corpses
An 8-man committee on funerals has been set up to deliberate on how to cut down expenditure on burials, funerals and on the early disposal of corpses. Inaugurating the committee, Dr Ben Abdullah, Secretary for Culture and Tourism charged the members to examine various customary rites of all the ethnic groups, and find out their differences, similarities and the various religious practices and explore ways of cutting down the cost of funerals.The committee is made up of representatives of the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, Information, the Christian Council, the Pentecostal Council, the Full Gospel Businessmen Association and the Chieftaincy Secretariat.
Asantehene in New York
The Asantehene, Nana Opoku Ware II has left Accra for New York to open an exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History on the 'Asante Kingdom of GoldThe exhibition, which opens on October 14, was first shown at the British Museum of Mankind. The New York Museum will also present a series of events ranging from public lectures, a symposium and performances of traditional music and dance.
Lecturers will include Mr Malcolm McLeod, Prof. A. Boahen, Dr Kwame Arhin and Mr A.S.Y. Andoh. The exhibition will continue until March 17, 1985.
Review Committee on AFRC convicts
Mr J.K. Siaw, former Managing Director of Tata Brewery has been told by the PNDC appointed National Investigations Committee to return home to defend himself in respect of a 10 year jail sentence passed on him in absentia by the AFRC Special Court 1979.A statement from the office of the Co-ordinator for Investigations, Vetting and Tribunals, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, however, rejected Mr Siaw's claim for the return of his company, renamed Achimota Brewery Company which was confiscated to the state.
Meanwhile, a passport to enable Mr Siaw to return home is being processed by the office of the co-ordinator.
Mr Siaw is one of four whose petitions to the review committee of the National Investigations Committee have been dealt with lately. They include Mr Adu Nti who, after being jailed by the AFRC and was also being tried by the Abban Tribunal over these findings against him by a probe into Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board, jumped the bail granted following an application of habeas corpus.
Mr Ni, the Investigations Committee decided, should accept the condition that he stands the risk of being arrested for jumping bail should he decide to return home and that if the condition was acceptable to him then he would be permitted to return.
The other two are Mr S.K. Hammond, a former police officer whose application for re-instatement into the following his imprisonment under the AFRC, was rejected, and Mr Gope Tulsidal Budhurani, a naturalised Ghanaian of Indian extraction whose petition for the return to him of his three confiscated companies Manufacturing Company Limited, Broad- Ghana way Enterprises Limited and Golda Films Limited was also rejected.
Mawuenyega removed from committee
Mr C.R. Mawuenyega, chairman of the National Investigations Committee, has been appointed operational assistant to the PNDC Secretary for Interior. His place has been taken over by Lt. S.K. Kumako of PNDC headquarters. The appointments, which were made by the PNDC, take immediate effect.Ghana/Nigeria ties improve
Nigeria's High Commissioner to Ghana, Brigadier Harris Eghagha, has given an assurance that Nigeria is prepared to assist Ghana in solving her fuel problems.Speaking during a courtesy call on the Secretary for Fuel and Power, Mr Appiah Korang in Accra, the Nigerian envoy also called for closer ties between the two countries.
Responding, Mr Korang said that ties between the two countries which terribly deteriorated during the last civilian government in Nigeria, had improved since the military took over power.
The High Commissioner commended Petro-Canada and the Canadian Govern- ment for their assistance to Ghana, and the seriousness with which the project is being conducted.
He announced that Ghana will soon apply through the Nigerian High Commis- sion in Accra for access to the Nigerian Institute of Petroleum for the training of Ghanaians in oil exploration and related fields. He said a study of Ghana's petroleum requirements up to the year 2000 has been undertaken and that this will form the basis for reorganising the distribution of petroleum products in the country.
Trade agreement with the GDR
Ghana and the GDR have signed a protocol for 1985 covering commercial, industrial and construction fields. This followed the third session of the joint commission for economic, scientific and technical co-operation between the two countries in Accra. The session lasted six days.Under the protocol, Ghana is to export cocoa beans and products up to 10,000 tons and copra 7,000 tons. If the GDR wants more of these items, the two sides will meet to renegotiate the protocol. Ghana will buy from the GDR newsprint, pharmaceuticals, X-ray films, tyres and parts of vehicles and other items in which the GDR is most competent.
In the industrial sector, Ghana submitted a feasibility study for the erection of a caustic soda plant based on Ghanaian raw materials. The GDR is to study the proposals and make its reactions known by the end of the year. The protocol stipulates that the GDR will participate in the housing and road construction industries in the country.
She will supply building materials and semi-finished products for finishing work for about 1,000 single or two-storey houses per annum. The GDR will also construct roads in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi. The experts from the GDR are already in Kumasi to work out the details of an agreement to be signed soon.
Both sides agreed that the exchange of delegations at various levels would enhance better exploration of the economic capabili- ties existing in the two countries. In this connection, Ghana is to send a delegation to the GDR early next year to study on the spot what types of technical consumer goods the GDR can supply Ghana. The GDR on her part is to send to Ghana before the end of the year experts on railways, tele- communications and extraction of manganese ore.
According to the protocol, the fourth session of the joint commission will take place in the GDR capital, Berlin, next year. The protocol was signed by Secretary for Trade, Ato Ahwoi, who led the Ghanaian team during the meeting and the head of the GDR delegation, Wolfgang Bruckner. director general at the GDR Ministry of Foreign Trade.
BURKINA
Purge in police
The Council of Ministers at a meeting under the chairmanship of Comrade Blaise Compaore, the Minister of State in the Presidency in charge of justice, has carried out dismissals and suspension of members of the police.The measures, which signal a future purge within the national police, is seen as being prompted by the determination of the National Council of the Revolution and the revolutionary government to make the police force a corps of honest and irreproachable militants.
OAU
OAU criticises Argentina
The OAU has expressed dismay and indignation at the arrival in South Africa of Argentina's rugby team in blatant defiance of UN and OAU resolutions and at a time when the black majority were "intensifying their struggle to eradicate apartheid, risking daily arrest, torture and murder by the repressive South African police".The OAU had appealed to the international community and anti-apartheid movements to condemn the visit and strive for comprehensive and mandatory sanctions against all types of links, includ- ing sporting links with South Africa.
LIBERIA
Dr Sawyer and others released
Dr Amos Sawyer, Chairman of the Liberian Peoples Party (LPP) and a professor at the University of Liberia has been released from detention on the orders of General Samuel Doe. Dr Sawyer and nine others were detained in August in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the government of Gen. Doe.Also released is the Speaker of the Interim National Assembly, General Nicholas Podier, who was General Doe's deputy on the dissolved military ruling council (PRC). Dr Sawyer and the others, including two army officers, Colonel Larry Borteh and Colonel Jerry Friday, were arrested hours after Gen. Doe had cut short a visit to West Germany for his annual medical check up.
Gen. Doe was also scheduled to pay state visits to Romania and Austria, but had to cancel these and return home for what was described then by Monrovia radio as "important matters of state". These important matters of state, however, turned out to be the alleged coup plot in which Dr Sawyer was implicated and consequently arrested. Dr Sawyer's arrest sparked off demonstrations on the campus of the University of Liberia which were broken up after armed troops had stormed the University.
Released with Dr Sawyer and Maj-Gen. J. Nicholas Podier are Mr George Klay Kieh, Colonel Larry Borteh, Mr Dusty Woloklie, Mr Harry Yuan, Mr Tom Camara, Colonel Jerry Friday or Jerry Jorley, Mr John Nemah, Mr Patrick Wiah and Mr Nepe Manning.
Joint venture with Belgian firm
An agreement has been signed in Monrovia for the operation of the Cavallah rubber plantation in Maryland county. The agreement was signed on September 26, between the Liberian government and the SA Company, Chapee of Belgium at the Ministry of Agriculture. Under the agreement, the Liberian Government and the Belgian firm will form a joint venture for the management of the rubber corporation.Doe tours Gibi area
Head of State Gen. Doe on a tour of Bibi territory has said he was impressed with the welcome given him by the people of Gibi Territory. He said it was about time the leaders of this country sat and planned the future of Liberia.NIGERIA
Buhari does not go by any ideology
Head of State, Maj-Gen. Buhari has told a television audience that his government is result-oriented and does not go by any particular ideology.The Head of State, who was answering newsmen's questions on the Nigerian Tele- vision Authority (NTA) network current affairs programme 'The Platform', made it clear that the government would adopt progressive ideas from all over the world to rebuild the nation.
"For instance," he said, "we shall borrow leaves from Japan and India in all the areas of industrial revolution.
"We shall acquire sophisticated equipment from the developed nations, split them into units and learn to manufacture the various components," he said.
Nwobodo admitted to hospital
Former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo is on admission to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu for a deteriorating health.His private ward is guarded by three mobile policemen and two warders. It was learnt that he was suffering from high blood pressure.
Chief Nowobodo is serving a 43-year jail- term for official corruption.
Rimi challenges Tribunal
The former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, has told members of the Kaduna zone of the special military tribunal that there were three other judgements that supercede theirs.Protesting against the 44 years imprison- ment on him by the tribunal which had found him guilty on three counts of corruptly enriching himself for N593,000, Alhaji Abubakar said while being led away from the dock by security men, "after your judgment there will be three others - that of the people, another by posterity and a third by God".
Earlier, professing innocence of the charges, the ex-Governor had told the tribunal chairman, Commodore N.A.B Elegbed, "if you find me guilty a thousand times and jail me a million times, it does not make any difference".
"I am not guilty of any offence as there was no law in 1979 and 1983 which I have violated", he concluded.
Detention for early marriage parents
The Sokoto State Governor, Brigadier Garba Duba, has threatened in Sokoto to order the detention of any man in the state who withdrew his daughter from school for early marriage..He told the Federal Government Study group on the funding of education at the Government House that lack of education for women was a problem to the state government.
The military governor said that the state had only two female pharmacists and no female medical doctor, and that such a situation did not augur well for the state.
Guidelines for 1985 Budget
Federal ministries and parastatals have received new policy guidelines for the prep- aration of budgetary estimates for the 1985 financial year.Priority for the budget should be given out-standing debts on contracts entered to, among other things, the settlement of into by government agencies with the approval of the government.
Another area of emphasis is the payment for cost of on-going projects, taking due cognisance of the government's decision on the report of the Project Review Committee.
The government also ordered that no new projects should be embarked upon until adequate provision has been made for the items listed above.
Permanent Secretary defies High Court Judge
A Lagos High Court Judge whose orders on the Bench have been defied five times by a Federal Permanent Secretary, has served notice of his retirement.In his three letters to the Advisory Judicial Committee, Mr Justice Yaya Jinadu wrote: "I cannot see how I can continue to serve as a judge under such a system. I have already given notice of my retirement from service. I cannot condone any attempt to destroy the judicial system in this country using me as a scapegoat".
The rumpus, which prompted the pre- mature exit, broke in April when Mr Gan Fawehinmi, counsel to a fireman, Mr Said Garba, laid a contempt of court charge against permanent secretary John Kennet Oyegun, of the Internal Affairs Ministry for terminating Mr Garba's appointment while the case was still in court.
Mr Oyegun failed to make a appearance despite five summons.
"Mr Oyegun's presence was sought after he had failed to carry out a court instruction that he withdraw a dismissal letter written to Saidu Garba, as punishment for what was thought to be his negligence during the NET building fire of last year. At a stage in the hearings, Mr Justice Jinadu told Mr Fawehinmi that the case had been transferred from him by Chief Judge Adetunji Adefarasin.
The contempt case is now before another judge.
Meanwhile, Legal controversy has broken in Lagos over the sudden notice of retirement given by Mr Justice Yaya Jinadu.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Mr Bola Ajibola, said in Lagos that the state's branch of the association had appointed a committee to investigate the row.
Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, a former Chef Justice, told the Nigerian Guardian that Mr Justice Jinadu went too far in reprimanding a federal lawyer who appeared for the Permanent Secretary and that the Federal Attorney-General was right to demand an apology from the judge on behalf of the lawyer.
But Mr Olu Onagoruwa, a constitutional lawyer, told The Guardian that: "Once judges start to apologise to the attorney-general or any member of the executive, then the rule of law is finished".
Teachers call off strike
Primary school teachers in Calabar, Cross River State, have called off their two weeks old strike over the non-payment of their arrears of salaries. The state governor, Col. Dan Archibong, had earlier appealed to the teachers to go back to work and promised to look into their grievances.According to a statement announcing the end of the strike, the teachers said they were heeding the governor's appeal because of his promise to clear the arrears of salaries owed them and to assure regular payments in subsequent months.
Court orders release of results
An Ibadan High Court has ordered the University of Ibadan to release immediately the results of a female law student, Mrs Judith Ekeomo Assien in the 1983/84 examinations. The order followed an action brought against the university authorities by Mrs Assien urging the court to release her law degree results.She claimed in the suit that the action of the University of Ibadan to withhold her results was a direct violation of her fundamental human right.
The University of Ibadan has withheld the examination results of the plaintiff on the ground that she was involved in examination cheating.
Government will not rush fugitives' extradition
Law enforcement agencies in the country have been directed to expedite action on the collation of facts for the extradition of political fugitives. The Head of State, Maj Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, stated this while speaking in a television interview. He said, however, that the Federal Military Government would not rush into demanding the extradition of the fugitives until all the documents necessary for such extraditions were available. General Buhari said that no matter how long it takes, political fugitives would be brought back.On the trials of former politicians, General Buhari observed that it would serve as a lesson to Nigerians and future generations that any person in a position of authority must be accountable for his stewardship.
Proposed military university
The proposed military university in the country will place more emphasis on science and engineering subjects. This was announced in Bauchi by the Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. He was exchanging views with the provost of the Tafawa Balewa campus of the Ahmadu Bello university, Professor Pova Bajogah. The commandant said that the overall objective of the university would not be to make soldiers, engineers or scientists, but to produce a battle-ready corps that could handle sophisticated weapons.Importers will be encouraged
Investors and business entrepreneurs wishing to import essential commodities without waiting for the foreign exchange procedure will be encouraged by the Federal Govern- ment. Head of State, Maj-Gen. Buhari who gave this assurance in a television interview. in Lagos said that the Government would, however, like to know the source of such a person and how he intended to replenish his source.On the development of the nation's petrochemical industry, General Buhari foreign exchanges. stated that work was in progress on the projects in Port Harcourt and at Kaduna and Warri on phase one. He expressed the determination of the present Administration to execute the project because of the enormous market for petrochemical products.
On the IMF loan, General Buhari stated that the obstacle to securing the loan is the disagreement with preconditions given by the fund. These are a devaluation of the naira by 60% and the removal of subsidy on petroleum products. He said that an alternative to the IMF loan is to reschedule loans owed some countries. General Buhari said that one of the main aims of the present administration was to make the country self-sufficient in food production, pointing out that the nation could save 600 million naira by reducing food imports.
Change of baton between soldiers and civilians
Nigerians have been told not to look forward to a stable elected government for a long time to come. Mr Babatunde Jose, chairman of the board of the Nigerian Tele- vision Authority, told a seminar organised by Eko Hotels to mark Nigeria's 24th Independence Anniversary, "it is not an unreasonable assumption that for a long, long time to come, elected and military administrations will continue to be changing batons in our country'Mr Jose, whose paper was titled: 'Nigeria, 24 years after Independence', also spoke on a number of issues including the country's level of political development and its inability to run an elected government.
Plane crash at Calabar
Two people were injured when a Nigerian Airways Boeing 727 flight crash-landed at Calabar International Airport last week. The two passengers sustained injuries in their effort to escape through the emergency exit of the aircraft. Flight WT915 crash-landed at Calabar Airport en route to Douala, Republic of Cameroon with over 100 passengers.Unclaimed licences to be revoked
The Federal Government has warned that it would revoke import licences issued for industrial raw materials or general goods which remained unclaimed two weeks after they had been issued.A government statement issued in Lagos, however, explained that the revocation order affected only licences for general merchandise goods.
According to the statement, the order did not affect such licences as NIBD/World Bank projects, deferred payment on government and private industrial projects, and industrial projects related to invest- ment as part of technical partners' equity contribution which were not valid for foreign exchanges.
Task force to inspect goods
The Federal Government has set up a task force which will be responsible for inspecting goods being imported into Nigeria until the new inspection agents take over the responsibility of preshipment inspection from the SGS.In a statement in Lagos, the government explained that the task force was set up to ensure that the flow of goods into Nigeria is not disrupted during the transitional period between October 1 and November 1.
