People, Places and Events
GHANA
Government protest to Nigerian Government
The Government has expressed concern about the reported incidents of brutality and harassment perpetrated by agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria against Ghanaians and other nationals affected by the Nigerian Government's quit order. An official statement reminded the Nigerian Government of her obligations as a member of ECOWAS and as a signatory to the agreements on mutual administrative assistance in matters relating to customs, trade and immigration.The statement says the Government deplores the use of force by the Nigerian authorities against unarmed Ghanaian immigrants and will, in due course, seek appropriate remedies against the Nigerian authorities for the suffering of the Ghanaians involved and for properties seized or lost as a result of Nigerian Government's policies.
"The Government of Ghana continues to believe in and will work for African brotherhood under principles of good- neighbourliness and believes that migration of labour in the West African sub-region is a historical process which is a legitimate challenge to the artificiality of the Balkan- isation of Africa by imperialist powers for their selfish interests. Such migration has often enriched the economies of the recipient countries and has worked to the mutual benefit of the countries of the sub- region," the statement noted.
The Government of the Provisional National Defence Council pledged to protect the thousands of Nigerians and other Africans in Ghana and discharge its obligations as a member of ECOWAS and the OAU. The statement finally assured the public it was doing everything in its power to ensure the safe return of the Ghanaian immigrants involved and to integrate them into the society.
Returnees can't land in Togo
Thirty three Ghanaian returnees, who joined over 2,000 Togolese on board a Nigerian chartered vessel, were not allowed to disembark at the port of Lome. Instead, the Togolese authorities insisted on the provision of Ghanaian vehicles at the port to convey the returnees. An official of the National Mobilisation Committee said this Togolese action is in sharp contrast to the humane treatment of their nationals by the Ghanaian authorities.Nigeria denies brutality charge
Nigeria has again denied that it has committed brutalities against illegal immigrants. A statement issued by the Nigerian High Commission in Accra says the Ghanaians among the immigrants are not being pre- vented from taking their belongings away. It said employers of labour in Nigeria have been asked to pay accrued salaries to the aliens, and any defaulters could be reported to the authorities for redress.The statement reaffirmed the commit- branch manager. ment of Nigeria to Africa and that the expulsion of what it called a few other nationals will not alter this policy.
Equatorial Guinea expels Ghanaians
About 300 Ghanaians have been repatriated from Equatorial Guinea. A report from the Ghana High Commission in Lagos to the National Mobilisation Committee in Accra said the Ghanaians, who were recruited from Nigeria, have been flown to the Nigerian capital.The report added that the Equatorial Guinea Ambassador to Nigeria has already arranged to convey the Ghanaians to the Apapa port for their eventual repatriation to Ghana.
Four sentenced to death
Four people who duped the Ghanaian Commercial Bank of 56.8 million cedis have been sentenced to death by the public tribunal in Accra.They are a Lebanese businessman, George Salami; Ricks Kofi Osei, 35, senior accounts clerk at the Accra New Town Branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank; Augustus Owu, an accounting officer at the bank's head office and chairman of the Committee for the Defence of the Revolution and Walter Adem Chadegbe, an official of the Derby Avenue Branch of the Bank. Walter, and his younger brother Michael Adem Gbadegbe, who were jointly charged with the three, are at large and were sentenced in absentia. Michael was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
The tribunal chaired by Mr George Agyekum heard from the prosecutor, Mr J.C. Amonoo-Money, that Salami, who deals in electrical appliances in Accra, operated an account with the Derby Avenue Branch of GCB for his business known as 'Eagletima Enterprises'. He was running an overdraft, but he had problems in clearing it until it swelled up to nine million. Salami then discussed his problem with Osei, Owu and Adem Gbadegbe, who together hatched a plan to get access to public funds to defray Salami's overdrafts.
On Friday, April 26 this year, Salami went to the Derby Avenue Branch of the bank with a cheque issued at the Accra New Town Branch for 17.8 million cedis. The amount involved was found to be very large and the management of the bank sent a messenger to the New Town Branch to seek confirmation.
Even though Osei was on leave at the time, he managed to be at the bank to get the deal through.
Osei got the cheque from the messenger and entered the bank and after some time returned with a security inter-branch advice form which was purported to have been signed by both the accountant and the manager
Salami wanted 11 million cedis out of the amount and a message was sent to the head office of the bank for funds out of which Salami was paid. Out of the C11 million he withdrew, Salami gave C4 million to Owu, C1 million to Osei and C50,000 to be distributed among the staff of the ledger department.
Other beneficiaries were the head of the ledger department, who had €100,000, the messenger who took the cheque to the Accra New Town Branch for verification also had C40,000, while the chief cashier at the bank's head office was given C40,000 for releasing the funds in good time.
Salami also gave the Derby Avenue Branch Manager C50,000 out of the amount, while some officials of the ledgers department who were on maternity leave at the time, had their shares reserved for them. He said C1.8 million was recovered from a garage in the house of Salami who refunded a further C1 million during investigations.
Osei and Owu were arrested when they were mentioned by Salami, C700,000 was retrieved from Osei, while a little over C3 million was retrieved from Owu.
Further investigations revealed that Salami had used similar methods to with- draw further sums totalling nearly 40 millions on April 22 and 25 this year, out of which he claimed he gave C10 million to Adem Gbadegbe.
All the monies Salami lavished on the bank officials had been retrieved except the messenger, who had up to date refunded only £16,000. So far only about C7 million out of the total amount had been recovered.
World Bank official on economy
The senior Vice President of the World Bank in charge of operations, Dr Ernest Stern, has flown to the Ivory Coast to continue his African tour after spending three days in Ghana. He told newsmen before he left Accra that the Government had made a modest beginning in its economic recovery programme. Dr Stern emphasised that there is need to stop a further decline of the economy and this requires a courageous economic policy. He observed that Ghana will continue to rely on further aid from the World Bank and other financial institutions for project that will generate foreign exchange. Dr Stern explained that the bank's loans to developing countries are meant to promote economic growth.Speaking to newsmen earlier after a meeting with a member of the PNDC (Provisional National Defence Council), Mr Justice Daniel Annan, Dr STern repeated the Bank's continued assistance to Ghana in the context of the continued programme of adjustment, particularly on medium-term priority projects. He said this production. is just the beginning of the programme aimed at putting Ghana back on the road to rapid economic growth and on the inter- national markets as in the past.
According to Dr Stern, he held fruitful discussions with some secretaries of key ministries to find ways by which the Bank can give further assistance to the country's economic development.
He hoped Ghana would provide a good justification for continued support at the next consultative meeting on the country's economic recovery programme due to be held next November.
Loan for Ashanti goldfields
Ghana and the International Finance Corporation, IFC, an affiliate of the World Bank, have concluded a 55 million dollar loan agreement for the rehabilitation of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, AGC. The IFC is providing 27.5 million dollars from its own accounts. The remaining half will be provided by a consortium of commercial banks.The Provisional National Defence Council, PNDC, coordinating secretary, Mr P.V. Obeng, signed on behalf of the Government while the director of IFC's department of investments in West Africa, Mr Gunter Kruther, initialed for his corporation. The Chairman of Lonrho, Edward Du Cann, also signed for his company.
The AGC rehabilitation project, which covers a period of five and a half years, will increase gold output from 240,000 ounces to about 400,000 ounces over the next five years. It will also provide new machinery to increase the life span of the mine for between 25 and 30 years.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr P.V. Obeng, reiterated the Government's determination of welcoming genuine foreign investors. He acknowledged the participation of the various commercial banks and expressed the Government's gratitude to them. The chairman of Lonrho, Mr Du Cann, gave the assurance that his company will do all it can to make the Government's economic programme succeed.
Export scheme for maize farmers
The Secretary for Agriculture, Dr I.K. Adjei-Maafo has said that his ministry is devising an export scheme for maize farmers in the country.Under the scheme, farmers would be allowed to export their maize after they had sold a required percentage of their total output to the government, he said. Dr Adjei-Maafo disclosed this at a press conference. He said the scheme would also allow farmers to retain a percentage of proceeds of their produce in foreign currency to purchase farming equipment to increase ing water and common salt.
The Secretary explained that the export scheme is aimed at raising the standard of living of maize farmers whose produce is widely consumed in the country.
TOGO
Eyadema's message to Buhari
Togolese Foreign Minister, Koffi Amega, has reported that urgent measures have been taken by President Eyadema to ease the grave situation created at the borders and daily incidents occurring following Nigeria's quit order.In a message to the Nigerian Head of State, President Eyadema has asked him to consider reopening Nigeria's land borders for humanitarian reasons and to allow the ill and elderly to cross the borders to return home.
In reply, Maj-Gen. Buhari thanked President Eyadema for his wise initiative in sending the message and said that "he was ready to take the necessary measures to reopen the Seme and Idiroko borders to allow the illegal immigrants who are still in Nigeria to leave."
NIGERIA
Borders to be re-opened
The French agency, AFP, has reported that the Government is considering re-opening its land borders to allow thousands of illegal immigrants out of the country.Nigerian Foreign Minister Ibrahim Gambari has called together the Ambassadors of Benin, Togo and Ghana to tell them this, the agency said. The borders were closed a week ago after the expiry of a deadline for some 700,000 illegal immigrants to leave Nigeria and thousands are still waiting to leave.
Aliens split into groups
About 9,000 illegal immigrants at the Seme border have been split into small groups as part of the Federal Government's effort to prevent another rampage. They are at Seme and Luwo villages near the border. The Assistant Commissioner of Police supervising the operations said that the police would be strengthened at the border and allow easy transportation of the aliens to Lagos for repatriation by sea.Buhari is man of the year
Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari taking a retrospective look at last year has conceded that it was a very difficult year for Nigerians.His contention: "It was a year when Nigerians had to queue for virtually every- thing, including such basic needs as drink-
General Buhari was speaking in his Dodan Barracks office, shortly after being honoured with "Man-of-the-year for 1984" by the Board of Directors of the New Nigerian Newspapers Limited for his out-standing contributions to the development of the nation.
He said that he least expected to be made "Man-of-the-Year" if what he had been reading in the newspapers about his govern- ment was to be taken into account. General Buhari said that he never wanted to accept the award but had to change his mind when he saw the composition of the selection committee which he said was made up of eminent Nigerians.
Commissioner dismissed
Bauchi State Governor, Brigadier Sani Sami, has dismissed his state's Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Rhoda Salai, and ordered her to refund N580,982 into the state government's coffers "without any delay".Mrs Sulai was allegedly involved in the misdeeds and corruption of the last civilian administration. A government statement in Bauchi said that a committee which probed the finances of the state's scholarship board between 1979 and 1983 found Mrs Sulai neck-deep in corruption.
She was said to have been secretary of the Scholarship board during the period that was examined by the committee.
Nigeria has enough ideology
Those searching for an ideology for the country have been told to forget the idea for now. A member of the Supreme Military Council and Commander of the 82nd Army Division, Brigadier Y.Y. Kure, said that already, the country has enough ideology to contend with.He said there was no other better ideology for the country than the contents of the National Coat of Arms and the themes of the various phases of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI).
Brigadier Kure said that the spirit of Unity and Faith and that of the various phases of WAI were better for the country, adding that the contents were complete enough for a national ideology.
First woman to be executed
Mrs Gladys Caroline Iyama, condemned for cocaine peddling, has been ordered to face the firing squad by the Supreme Military Council (SMC).She will be the first woman to face the firing squad in the nation's history. Gladys, mother of two crippled children, was sentenced to death by the Lagos Zone Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal for pushing cocaine, on March 26. The sentence has caused a lot of controversy in the country, with religious bodies, voluntary organisations and various pressure groups urging the government to grant her a reprieve. However, she was among three hard drug pushers whose death sentences were confirmed last week by the SMC.
Status of state for Abuja
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, now has the status of a state, and the minister of the territory has also been elevated to the status of a state governor.The Supreme Military Council met in Lagos and approved that appropriate constitutional amendments be made immediately to effect the changes.
Under the amendments, the entire Federal Capital Territory would, henceforth be called 'Abuja' with the administration consisting of a municipal government for Abuja City and four development areas for the rest of Abuja capital territory.
The SMC also approved the promulgation of a decree which would enable the minister of the Federal Capital Territory to have powers to control and administer the territory in the manner a governor controls a state.
Obasanjo endorses executions
Former Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, has given his full support to public execution of hard drug offenders in the country.He said at his Temperance Farm Settlement at Otta in Ogun State, recently: "There is nothing wrong with the execution of drug offenders." But in addition, he said "what the public needs is to be educated on the terrible effects of hard drugs."
General Obasanjo spoke to a team of top military officers and government officials, who visited him on his farm. At the head of the visiting team, was Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Major General Idiagbon, who recently affirmed that the Federal Government's decision on public execution for drug offenders was "irrevocable".
Find brains behind drug trafficking
A lawyer Dr Olayide Adigun has urged the Federal Government to halt the execution of drug pushers and step up investigations into the brains behind it.Adigun, who was addressing a symposium on 'Women in Drug Trafficking A New Dimension" at the Abeokuta campus of the University of Lagos, blamed the society for the involvement of women in drug trafficking.
Woman head of state?
The possibility of having a woman head of state in the country in the near future, after the exit of the military, is "very bleak".This is the view of Mrs Hilda Adefarasin, National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in Lagos. She based her deductions on the fact that "men have outwitted their female counterparts on the political arrangement of the country."
Until Nigerian women could find enough money to go out to campaign seriously, she said, it would be difficult to see them playing leading political roles.
Reduction of sentences
The Supreme Military Council has reduced to 10 calendar years, the 21 calendar-year jail term passed on former Governor Aper Aku of Benue on March 25 by the Kaduna zone of the special tribunal on the recovery of public property. The council also reduced the 21-calendar years term passed on J.A. Anemba, former acting general manager of the Benue breweries, to five calendar years.Former Governors Abba Rimi of Kaduna and Wilberforce Juta of Gongola also had their 21-calendar year jail terms reduced to five calendar years each by the Council. The SMC however, ordered the affected ex- Kaduna legislators to refund 42,000 naira each within 14 days while 300,000 naira is to be recovered from former legislators in Gongola.
The 21-calendar year sentence passed on former Oyo Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Busari Adelakun, was also reduced to five calendar years but he will forfeit 155,000 naira to the Federal Government.
Mr Samuel Kolade, former chairman of National Bank and Mr Joshua Tuki, a former director of the bank, had their 21-year calendar year jail terms reduced to five calendar years each, but they will forfeit to the Federal Government the 1m naira by which they corruptly enriched the proscribed UPN (Unity Party of Nigeria).
The SMC confirmed the life imprisonment sentence on a former principal accountant of the NYSC (National Youth Service Corps), Abdul Jimmy Yusuf. In addition, he will forfeit nearly 2m naira to the Federal Government. Two others, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, former chairman of Benue cement company, and Mr Francis Endeley, former Commissioner in Rivers State, had their 21-calendar year sentences reduced to two calendar years and 15-calender years respectively, but will forfeit monies to the Federal Government.
Trade with the USSR
The Soviet Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Vladimir Snegyrev has said that Nigeria and the Soviet Union were exploring possibilities of improving the declining trade between them. Mr Snegyrev, speaking at a news conference to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the end of the second world war, said that Nigerian trade with the Soviet Union, which was in favour of the Soviet Union in 1983, reduced by about 33.3% in 1984.The Ambassador said that the importation of equipment for the Ajaokuta steel project accounted for the bulk of Nigeria's 200m naira imports from the Soviet Union, while cocoa bean accounted for more than 70% of its exports to the Soviet Union. Mr Snegyrev said that the Soviet Union was interested in the development of Nigeria's agricultural sector, energy resources as well as science and research.
CAMEROON
Biya's message of thanks to Mrs Thatcher
President Paul Biya, who ended a five-day official visit to Britain, told the British Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, that he would welcome a greater British presence in his predominantly French-speaking country.This would apply to economic and cultural links. President Biya said his country was ready to buy British manufactured goods.
Meanwhile, Yaounde radio has reported the President's message of thanks to Mrs Margaret Thatcher in which he said he appreciated the quality and usefulness of the talks held during his visit.
President Biya noted that the talks had gone a long way to consolidate the traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
LIBERIA
Delay in publication of voters' list
The publication of the voters' registration list, scheduled for May 21, has been delayed. In an interview with ELWA news Emmett Harmon, head of the Special Elections Commission, Secom, said his commission needs the amount of 5m dollars to complete the entire exercise leading to the ensuing elections.The Secom chairman was, however, quoted as saying that efforts were being made with newspapers to have the list published but would have preferred it being computerised. He was, however, optimistic about the publication of the voters' registration list before the elections. The revised time-table also states that from May 22 to July 22 is the period of verification and of challenges of national voters' registry, while from July 8 to October 7 will be the official campaign period.
Tax on petrol increased
The excise tax on petrol, which was 1.25 dollars, has been increased by 25 cents and customers will now be required to pay 1.50 dollars as excise tax. A release from the Finance Ministry says the increase is in keeping with Executive Order No. 8, which was signed by the Head of State on March 12, this year.The release further stated that excise tax would no longer be collected by the management of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation, LPRC. A team of revenue collectors has already been assigned to the LPRC to collect it.
SENEGAL
Debt negotiations with West Germany
The German Federal Government has completed debt rescheduling negotiations with Senegal in Bonn. The Ministry of Economic Cooperation announced that repayments and interest totalling 12.3m DM, which would have been due between the end of 1984 and mid-1986, have been postponed largely until 1988 to 1994 at preferential interest rates.Saudi loan agreement
The Saudi Fund for Development has signed a 2.76m dollar loan agreement with Senegal to finance the construction of a canal and road project in Dakar for draining water and facilitating traffic movement.Algerian President ends visit
A joint communique on Algerian President's visit noted that the talks between Presidents Chadli Bendjedid and Abdou Diouf took place in a climate of great understanding, friendship and cordiality. The two Heads of State expressed satisfaction at the development and quality of cultural, economic and technical exchanges established between the two countries and agreed to make all possible efforts to raise the level of these exchanges to that of the excellent relations maintained at the political level.On the subject of the big issues in international economics and politics, the two Heads of State paid particular attention to the problems facing Africa and reasserted their determination to safeguard and strengthen the OAU.
Concerning southern Africa they repeated their support for SWAPO in Namibia and the ANC in South Africa. On the problem of the Western Sahara, the two Heads of State reiterated the need for the application of resolution 104 at the 19th OAU Summit, in order to promote a peaceful, just and stable peace.
SIERRA LEONE
SLDP call for students reinstatement
The National Co-ordinating Committee of the Sierra Leone Democratic Party (SLDP) has condemned the decision of the University authorities to expel the entire leadership of the Student Union Executive and three leading lecturers, Messrs Jimmy Kandeh, O.R. Gordon and Cleo Hancils of the Fourah Bay College.At a meeting in London, the Committee noted that throughout its long and distinguished history, Fourah Bay College has characterised itself as an institution of liberal thinking and a bastion of academic freedom and that the latest attempt to obliterate another vestige of the heritage is deplorable.
The SLDP consequently demanded the immediate repeal of the "good behaviour" clause and further demanded the unconditional reinstatement of all forty students and the dismissed lecturers involved in the dispute.
A statement issued after the meeting and signed by the Secretary to the National Co- ordinating Committee, J. Adewole, called on the Bar Association, the Medical Association, the Teachers Union and other professional bodies to take appropriate measures necessary to bring about the re- instatement of the brave and patriotic students and their lecturers.
GABON
Finance Ministry's report
A Ministry of Finance report says the Gabonese economy took a turn for the better in 1984 thanks to increased oil production and a strong dollar. A total of 8.8m tonnes of oil were produced last year, 12% more than in 1983, with the increase attributed to new operations by the US company Amoco. Total oil industry turn- over increased by 23.6% during the year, the report said.The boost for the oil industry pushed Gross Domestic Product to 1.576bn CFA francs 3.2bn dollars at the current exchange rate. However, some experts are concerned about the economy's dependence on oil, which provided about 85% of Gabon's export income last year and made up 45% of the GDP.
With an estimated 80m tonnes of oil reserves, Gabon is likely to remain dependent on petroleum in the short-term, despite Government efforts to diversify the economy in readiness for the post-oil era. Minerals, chiefly Manganese and Uranium, contributed only 3% of the Gross National Product in 1984, a slight percent- age fall over the previous year. However, overall sales rose 7% because of an increase in manganese exports. The farming sector contributed only 4.5% of the Gross National Product, although it grew by more than 16%.
IVORY COAST
New mayor for Abidjan
The Interior Minister has appointed a new mayor for Abidjan to replace Mr Emmanuel Dioulo who fled the country following the discovery of a 29 billion CFA (N58 million) bank scandal involving his company.The new mayor, Mr Earnet Mobio, 52, has been the vice-president of the country's National Assembly since 1981.
The former mayor, whose parliamentary immunity was waived by the legislature to enable the state prosecutor to bring proper charges against him, left the country secretly in March for Belgium alleging that political opponents were trying to frame him.
