People, Places and Events
GHANA
Housing Secretary resigns
Alhaji Abubakar Alhassan, Secretary for Works and Housing, has resigned from the government of the PNDC. His post has since been taken up by Dr Kofi Sam.Meanwhile the government has appointed a three man management team to runn and re-organize the operations of the Ghana Supply Commission. They are Dr Charles Buadu, Chairman, Colonel Joshua gbotui and Mr Akiwumi of the Supply Commission as members.
Civil Aviation Director sacked
The Government has dismissed as the Director of Civil Aviation, Wing Commander Osabu-Kle. Miss Mary Adjei, a principal security officer of the Department of Civil Aviation, has also been dismissed. A statement issued from the office of the Chairman of the PNDC said Colonel Koranteng (rtd) has been appointed Acting Director of Civil Aviation with immediate effect.The Government has also appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Christine Debra as Executive Chairman of the Environmental Protection Council and Colonel Kwasi Oppong as the Director-General of the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation.
Dr Appiah appointed MD for Co-op Bank
The PNDC has revoked the order prohibiting Dr A.K. Appiah from holding public office. This reverses an order imposed on Dr Appiah by the erstwhile Supreme Military Council.An official statement said Dr Appiah has been appointed Managing Director of the Ghana Co-operative Bank..
He is charged with the responsibility to restructure the Bank and place its operations on sound banking footing to enable it to play a meaningful role in the national recovery effort.
According to the statement, Mr J.A. Nuamah, of the National Investment Bank, has been appointed Managing Director of the National Savings and Credit Bank.
Barter trade with Cuba
Ghana and Cuba are to engage in barter trade. This was disclosed by the Cuban Minister of Internal Trade, Mr Manuel Vila Sosa, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, GNA, in Havana. He said to translate the move into reality, a Cuban trade delegation will visit Ghana soon to identify commodities to be exported to this country.These commodities will be exchanged for Cuban pre-fab building plant, transfer of its technology and rum. Mr Sosa who is also the president of Cuba's intergovernmental commission, said under a trade protocol be- tween the two countries, Cuba will rehabili- tate the sugar factories at Asutsuare and Komenda.
He expressed satisfaction with the way the two countries are cooperating in the areas of health, education, agriculture and sports under the Ghana-Cuba joint com- mission for cooperation. Mr Vila Sosa added that a team of Cuban medical personnel, teachers and sports officials is due to arrive in Ghana shortly.
Speaking in another interview, Ghana's Ambassador to Cuba, Mr Kojo Amoo- Gottfried, noted that the fraternal relations between the two countries have grown stronger since the 31st December revolution. He said following a recent discussion between the Transport and Communications Secretary, Mr Kwame Peprah, and his Cuban counterpart, an air link will be established between Accra and Havana.
Search for loans in Austria and Sudan
The Secretary for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwesi Botchway, has left Accra to begin a two-nation tour of Austria and Sudan to negotiate for a 15m dollar loan from the OPEC fund in Vienna and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, BADEA.Out of the amount, 6m dollars will come from the OPEC fund for the rehabilitation. of the Tema food complex corporation, while 9m dollars will be provided by the BADEA for the rehabilitation of Glikstein, Ghana Limited, a timber company in Sefwi Wiawso, and the African Timber and Plywood, AT&P, at Samreboi, all in the Western region.
Speaking to newsmen before departure, Dr Botchway said the loan from the OPEC Fund is repayable in 12 years while that of the BADEA carries an interest of 7% per annum.
Flt-Lt Rawlings visits China
Flt-Lt Jerry Rawlings has paid his first official visit to China from September 16 to September 20.Flt-Lt Rawlings was invited by Chinese President Li Xiannian and Premier Zhao Ziyang and was expected to exchange views with Chinese leaders on expanding bilateral relations and on issues of common interest.
Rawlings visit to Ethiopia
Ghana and Ethiopia have expressed grave concern over continuing imperialist inter- ference in Africa's internal affairs and stressed that this constitutes a very grave threat to peace, security and stability. This was stated in a joint communique issued at the end of a visit by Flt-Lt Jerry John Rawlings, Chairman of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), to Ethiopia, which began on 11th September 1985 at the invitation of Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam.After holding extensive discussions on international issues, the two leaders affirmed the determined opposition of their countries to imperialism, colonialism, neo- colonialism and racism and their support for the international struggle for peace, democracy and the liberation of peoples from exploitation and oppression.
As well as reiterating their position on strengthening world peace and security, they expressed their desire to counter imperialist efforts to frustrate world peace and cooperation by stepping up the arms race and to broaden the application of detente.
They agreed that the visit of Flt-Lt Rawlings had made a useful contribution towards further strengthening the friendship and cooperation existing between the peoples and governments of Ethiopia and Ghana.
During their stay in Ethiopia, Flt-Lt Rawlings and his delegation attended the celebrations of the 11th anniversary of the Ethiopian revolution.
Call for sanctions against S. Africa
The leaders of Ghana and Ethiopia have called for mandatory and comprehensive sanctions against the racist South African regime to accelerate the total elimination of colonialism and apartheid. They also called on all African states, peace-loving and democratic forces, to redouble their support to the liberation movements and to intensify their campaign for the complete isolation of the pretoria regime.The communique expressed great concern at the tragic escalation of the repres- sion of the black majority by the racist regime in South Africa, Namibia and against frontline and other neighbouring states.
Banks open in post offices
The National Savings and Credit Bank (NSCB) is to open departments in all the major post offices in the country in order to reach more people, especially the rural dwellers.These departments will be manned by the bank's personnel and will operate like those in any bank. Customers will therefore be able to make withdrawals just like in any other bank.
For a beginning, five post offices in Accra have been chosen to begin the scheme to iron out the loopholes before the scheme is extended to the regions.
The post offices are those at Mamprobi, Nungua… Central. These were disclosed in an interview by the acting managing director of NSCB, Mr. J.M. Ewusie.
He explained that the scheme, apart from mobilising domestic savings, also aims at easing the problems customers with the post office savings banks encounter, especially with the amount to be withdrawn any time Currently, all customers of the post office savings bank are allowed to withdraw C40 every other week.
Yellow fever in Togo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised all foreign visitors to the Republic of Togo, including Ghanaians, to have Yellow Fever vaccinations.A statement issued in Accra said the general public is notified that Togo is a country with endemic Yellow Fever problems and visitors to that country take a risk without Yellow Fever vaccination.
All African Trade Fair
About 23 companies and establishments whose products are export-oriented have been invited by the Trade Fair Secretariat to participate in the forthcoming All African Trade Fair which takes place in Lome, Togo, in November this year.Those that have responded favourably to the invitation include the Ghana National Investment Centre, Willowbrook Ghana Limited, Afambra Enterprises Limited (a shoe manufacturing company) and the National Co-operative Kente/Adinkra Weavers Association Limited.
According to a Principal Commercial Officer of the Ministry of Trade, Mr A.K.A. Appiah, attached to the Trade Fair Secretariat, other likely participants are the Ghana Industrial Holding Company Limited, the Furniture Producers Association and the Cocoa Products Company Limited.
Plans to involve Western- trained graduates in NSS
The Government is working out plans to put graduates trained in both Western and Eastern European countries National Service Scheme on their return on the Information Bureau has disclosed.Speaking at the biennial congress of the Soviet-trained Ghanaian Graduates Association (SOTGGA) in Accra, Mrs Ababio called for the setting up of a Manpower Development Commission to plan the country's manpower requirements to accelerate its socio-economic development.
The country, she said, was facing a situation of over-employment in certain areas while certain areas were lacking expertise and urged those institutions to assist the graduates
Assorted Iranian drugs for Ghana
The Iranian Embassy in Accra has taken delivery of 31 tonnes of assorted drugs worth 1.3 million dollars (about C74 million) brought in by a special flight from the Islamic Republic of Iran.The drugs were arranged by the Red Crescent (Iranian Red Cross), on behalf of the Government and people of Iran, for Ghana, Professor M.S. Khali, leader of a three-man delegation which accompanied the drugs, disclosed at Kotoka International Airport.
Prof. Khali disclosed that the first real trade delegation from Iran would be in Ghana soon.
Guidelines for Rural Banks
The Bank of Ghana has issued guidelines directing rural banks to the various sectors of the economy where funds from their quarters should be employed.Under the new Rural Bank Guidelines, 50 per cent of all loanable funds should be channelled into agriculture; 30 per cent into cottage industries to assist rural industrial development, and 20 per cent to cater for transport, trading and other sectors. These were contained in an address delivered by Dr E. W. Essumang, Director of the Rural Banking Department of the Bank of Ghana, at the inauguration of the Awutu-Bawjiase Rural Bank. Dr Essumang pointed out that the rural banks were set up principally to finance certain priority areas of the economy neglected by the commercial banks over the years.
He said the guidelines imply that the management of these rural banks should channel more of their resources into agriculture, especially to peasant farmers, and cottage industries to improve general living conditions of the rural people.
NIGER
Aid from FRG
The FRG and Niger have signed two agreements for 1985-86 involving 14bn CFA francs and including the implementation of a water supply project for the town of Zinder at a cost of 5.4bn CFA francs and the sinking of boreholes and wells and the establishment of pastoral centres at a cost of 3.7bn CFA francs.The wells and pastoral centres involved are in Tahoua and Maradi departments. The FRG will also support the campaign against desert encroachment at a cost of …
IVORY COAST
Boigny on soccer violence
President Felix Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast has said that 150 people have been detained and will be put on trial following the looting of properties belong- ing to Ghanaians in several Ivorian cities.He told Reuters in an interview that most of those detained were Ivorians and nationals of neighbouring countries, including Ghanaians, and dismissed the notion that the incidents were politically motivated.
President Houphouet-Boigny said the violence towards Ghanaians after a soccer match between the two countries did not stem from xenophobic feelings in his country of 10 million people.
"We have more than two million non- Ivorians living in this country and they are fully integrated," he said, pointing out that half of Abidjan's two million people were from abroad.
The Ivorian leaders said it was erroneous to refer to the incidents as "anti-Ghanaian rioting", and described those guilty of the offence as "bandits" - many of them with police records.
Riots started after rumours swept through Abidjan that two Ivorians had been killed after a match in the Ghanaian city of Kumasi.
The reports were repeatedly denied in the Ivorian media by returning Ivorians. But informed sources said many of the 14,000 Ghanaian residents who had sought refuge in police stations had their homes ran sacked with scores beaten up.
President Houphouet-Boigny said Ivorian police had acted swiftly to quell the disturbances.
He said there had been other instances of Ivorian supporters attacked after international matches in Mali and Nigeria earlier this year, yet there had been no reprisals against the nationals of these countries.
Prisoners to be freed soon
The Ivorian leader has repeated an earlier pledge to virtually empty the country's prisons to mark the 25th anniversary of independence from France next December.He could not give the figure of those to be freed but said as many as four-fifths of the country's common criminals would be released. They would not include those found guilty of looting Ghanaian homes. He said he did not like prisons - 'a word that does not even exist in Baoule' (the dialect of his Baoule tribe).
President Houphouet-Boigny also stressed that Ivorian jails held no political prisoners and that he had never had anyone executed. All prisoners sentenced to death had their sentences commuted to life in prison.
Entente Council Summit Meeting
A Summit of the Entente Council has ended in Yamoussoukro.During the meeting for an informal ex- change of views, the heads of state reviewed the major events that occurred in Africa and in the world since their last meeting in Yamoussoukro in February 1985. They later devoted the major part of their discussion to examining the problems of security, peace and stability in the sub- region and economic issues.
The heads of state reaffirmed the need for their governments to maintain and to guarantee within their respective state, security, peace and stability, the essential conditions for the development of these states. They strongly condemned the acts of sabotage and terrorism perpetrated in Lome, Republic of Togo, in August 1985, and in Niger in 1985. They expressed their sympathy and their solidarity with the peoples of Togo and Niger.
To this end, they decided to strengthen cooperation between their governments in order to forestall and effectively oppose acts of sabotage and terrorism as well as destabilisation manoeuvres wherever they may come from. Burkina Faso expressed reservations on this resolution.
Concerning economic problems, the heads of state noted the difficulties which their governments were facing in mobilising the necessary external resources for the development of their countries. They decided to devote the organisation's own funds in particular to rural water projects. and the development of food crops, with a view to achieving food self-sufficiency.
They asked the Administrative Secretary to continue his negotiations with foreign countries in order to obtain supplementary assistance to carry out this programme correctly.
CHAD
French loan for animal husbandry
French-Chad cooperation has again been demonstrated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation where two agreements were signed between the Chad and French Governments. The two loans amount to 350m CFA francs.Under the first agreement, France will grant Chad 325m CFA francs to help eradicate rinderpest from Chad, within the framework of the inter-African campaign against this epidemic. The second agree- ment is for 25m CFA francs which will be used to support the directorate of animal husbandry in Chad in gathering, through a survey, the major and necessary data characterising traditional animal husbandry in the socio-economic life in Chad.
NIGERIA
No decision on Buhari and Idiagbon
Former Chief of Staff, Maj-Gen Tunde Idiagbon, has returned home but the new leaders have not yet decided what to do with the leaders of the military government they overthrew in a coup last month. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has meanwhile quoted Army Chief Major-General Sani Abacha as saying no decision had been taken on whether former leader Major- General Tunde Idiagbon should be made to retire or be dismissed from the army.Maj-Gen Idiagbon was away in Saudi Arabia for the hajj when a coup removed him from office.
Governor restrained by court
Governor Gbolahan Mudasiru has been restrained by a Lagos High Court from ejecting Chief Emeka Ojukwu from his 29, Queens Drive residence. Also bound by the order were the state commissioner of police, and the state attorney-general, whom the applicant claimed were bent on ejecting him forcefully from his house.Granting Chief Ojukwu's prayer, Mrs Justice Rosaline Omotoso, held that she was satisfied that a case had been made out against the defendants. She ruled that an order for interim injunction be served on the defendants their agents till October 3, when she would determine whether their actions were lawful or not. She also ordered that necessary papers in the case be served on the defendants on Tuesday.
The applicant, in a 21-paragraph affidavit filed by Chief Ojukwu and argued by Mr Junji Braithwaite, leading Dr Olu Onagoruwa and two others deposed as follows:
That his father, the late Sir Ojukwu, owned the property at 29 Queens Drive, Ikoyi, which became his after his death.
That he had to abandon the building at the end of the civil way for the role he played as the leader of the defunct Biafran government.
Other issues canvassed before the court were that in 1982 when he was granted a state pardon by the ousted government of Shehu Shagari, he moved into the house.
On moving to the house, he paid N90,000 to the Lagos State Government as expenses incurred in keeping the house during his absence.
He told the court that he was surprised to get a letter ref. LSG539/52/258 on August 12 ordering him to pack, having stayed there since his return to Nigeria.
IMF Loan
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has opposed the N2.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of conditions attached to it. The congress therefore, wishes the new military administration to refrain from taking it. NLC President Ali Ciroma made this declaration while speaking on an NTA Channel 7 programme - Personality Rostrum.He said that if the government took the loan with 44 percent of incomes being used to service the nation's external debts, it would be very difficult if not impossible to pay back.
The labour leader said since no nation had ever emerged from an IMF deal in good shape, the present administration should not take it. Speaking on the country's external loan, Alhaji Ali said the nation was paying too much in debt servicing.
IMF loan: Don warns
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Illorin, Professor J.O.. Oyebanji, has cautioned against Nigeria's proposal to obtain the IMF loan claiming that it would only pay off the country's outstanding debts.Professor Oyebanji who made this plea in a Radio Kwara current affairs pro- gramme, said that the IMF loan had only helped nations to service debts rather than finance new projects and open up employment. He noted that when developing nations take IMF loans, they often expend it on and "white elephant projects" which might not be of immediate benefit to the ordinary citizen.
The University don contended that Nigeria's efforts should be directed at financing new projects in order to create jobs for the growing number of unemployed.
Ministers assigned
The new Federal Cabinet, enlarged by four more portfolios bringing the number of ministers to 22, is made up of 12 military personnel and 10 civilians. In the new list six old faces reappeared and four of them kept the chairs they held under the ousted Buhari regime.The six ministers retained are Major- General Domkat Bali, Defence; Professor Tam David West, Petroleum Resources (formerly designated Petroleum and Energy); Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman, Mines Power and Steel; and Major-General Mamman J. Vasta, Federal Capital Abuja Territory.
Retained but moved on to new ministries are Rear Admiral Patrick Koshoni, Em- ployment, Labour and Productivity from Health, and Lt-Col Ahmed Abdullahi, Social Development, Youth and Culture from Communications.
Others on the list are as follows: Retired LI-Gen Alani Akinrinade Professor Jubril Aminu Professor Bolaji Akinyemi Affairs; Dr Kalu I. Kalu Water Sources and Rural Development; Emovon Agriculture Education; External Finance; Professor Koye Ransome-Kuti - Health; Alhaji Lawal Mala Industries; Lt-Col Anthony Ukpo - Information; Lt-Col John Shagaya - Internal Affairs; Prince Bola Ajibola - Justice; Dr S.T. Okongwu National Planning; Professor Samuel Science and Technology; Major-Gen M.G. Nasko Trade; Brig. J.T. Useni Transport and Aviation; Air Commodore Hamzat Abdullahi - Works and Housing; and Air Marshall A.I. Shekarri - Special Duties.
Incompetent ministers warned
Any minister found wanting would be removed immediately, Ibrahim Babangida has warned.He told the ministers shortly after swearing them in a Dodan Barracks, Lagos, that the present administration would not hesitate to remove any of them whose actions exposed the government to ridicule and shame.
"This government will not condone any act of indiscipline, impropriety, nepotism or disloyalty," he charged. President Babangida therefore advised the ministers to be cautious in their public utterances because "whatever you say in public will be interpreted to mean government views." "The ways you conduct yourselves officially and privately reflects the image of the government," he said. The ministers were also advised to regard the whole country as their states of origin or group interests.
Prof Kuti new Health Minister
Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, who promised to restore relations between doctors and the government.He told journalists at Dodan Barracks that he looked forward to a tenure of office where relations between doctors and gov-ernment would become cordial.
Professor Ransome-Kuti, who was speaking shortly before being sworn in as Minister, said improved relations between the two parties was very necessary because government cannot run health services without doctors."
The new health minister was accompanied to Dodan Barracks by his wife and younger brother, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti. Relations between doctors and government had been strained since March this year following prolonged industrial action by the doctors to back up their pay claim.
Shagari prefers detention in prison
Deposed President Shehu Shagari is not happy for being put under house arrest. He said that he prefers detention in prison so that he could talk to people and receive members of his family.The ex-president's 36-year-old son, retired army Captain Mohammed Bala AShagari said that it was cooks alone who kept the ex-president company since the past 20 months of this detention. Bala who was retired in the wake of the December 31, 1983 coup that toppled his father, said he saw the ex-president somewhere in Lagos a few days ago for the first time in more than 20 months and that the ex-president had put on more weight. He explained that his meeting with his father was arranged at the "insistence of the present administration".
"My father was not allowed to go home like other politicians, but then I was allowed to see him and I talked to him in the company of two of my cousins."
Governor besieged by public office seekers
The governor of Benue State has complained publicly over visits by lobbyists in search of appointments in public office. Group Captain David Jang said that since he arrived in Makurdi to assume office, most of the representations, visits and correspondence he had been besieged with were all about appointments.He made his startling revelation when the Och'Ijoma, Chief Abraham Ajene Ukpabi paid him a courtesy call accompanied by his traditional council. He advised people of the state to offer constructive suggestions to government on ways and means of running the state rather than dissipate energy on lobbying for appointments.
Babangida worried over acts of terrorism
President Babangida is worried over increased acts of terrorism in the West African sub-region. He has therefore called on member nations of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) to come together and check terrorism within the sub-region.President Babangida made the call when he received a special message from Togolese leader General Gnasingbe Eyadema. The message was delivered by Togolese Minister of Petroleum Mr Barry Barke.
President Babangida expressed disappointment over acts of terrorism in that part of the sub-region and commended. efforts of the Togolese leader in finding peaceful solutions to the problems facing his country.
He noted that a peace-loving nation, Nigeria does not support arson and any kind of terrorism, adding that the Federal Government would soon call for a ministerial meeting of the sub-region to discuss the issue.
Female drug pusher to be executed
Another convicted female drug pusher has been sentenced to firing squad.Lagos zone of the Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal passed the guilty verdict on Alice Bassey Udo.
The offence for which she was found guilty was committed on October 13 last year at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport.
Alice, a widow with three children, had said in her statement, which was admitted in evidence, that it was one Emeka from Aba who sought to help her out of a financial mess.
BURKINA FASO
Satisfactory agricultural season
The result of the agricultural campaign in Burkina Faso is reported to be very satis- factory due to the important rainfall re- corded throughout the country.According to the national radio cereals (millet and sorghum) were sprouting everywhere thanks to rainfall which has exceeded 500mm throughout the country, except in the Ouahigouya and Dori regions in the northern part of the country which suffered from drought in May and June.
According to a report from the Centre of Agrometerology and Operational Hydrology of Naimey (Agrhymet), a specialised body of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (ICDCS), Burkina Faso this year should record cereal production close to normal. Burkina Faso last year recorded a cereal production deficit of 170,000 tonnes.
Sunray stove can cook at midnight
A solar stove that can cook a meal after sunset has been successfully tested in Freiburg, Federal Republic of Germany. Its secret is that the heat gathered from the sun in the daytime goes into an oil storage heater which can be turned on whenever needed. The hotplate cooks the food at a temperature of 160 degrees Centigrade.The makers, the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems, say the stove needs no maintenance and is independent of all energy sources other than the sun. The institution can supply further information: its address is Oltmannstrasse 22, Freiburg im Breisgau, Federal Republic of Germany.
The market price in developing countries is likely to be about DM 500/£125). The solar stove is likely to find a large market in areas of the world where there is plenty of sun- light but shortages of traditional fuels are common.
