People, Places and Events
GHANA
Tribunal chairman arrested
Mr Kofi Bosompem, a Public Tribunal chairman, has been placed under arrest pending further investigations to determine the extent to which he is involved in malpractices.A statement issued from the Office of the Chairman of the PNDC said some officials and staff of the Public Tribunal in Accra have allegedly become involved in the acceptance of gifts meant to influence the conduct of cases.
The statement noted that some of the practices which characterized trials before the traditional courts were beginning to infiltrate the Public Tribunals which were established to correct such practices. "As a vital revolutionary organ, the Board of Public Tribunals must be freed from any malpractices which may bring it into disrepute".
Civil servants to head districts
Top level Civil Service personnel are to be posted to man district councils to help raise the level of efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of the councils. Mr F. A. Jantuah, Secretary for Local Government who announced this said they will perform the functions of directors and deputy directors in the various district councils.Mr Jantuah said the senior civil servants would be posted to the districts when the conflicts existing within the new councils had been solved and Interim Management Committees for the old 65 district councils had been formed.
Mr Jantuah asked Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of the lie that Government had abandoned the idea of going ahead with the newly created district councils. He said a team had been sent out to the new district councils to iron out conflicts.
On the strategy being adopted by his outfit towards the running of the district councils, the Secretary said the old 65 district councils would have interim Management committees (IMCs). Mr Jantuah stated that for purposes of viability, the average population base for a district would be 75,000.
Comply with labour laws
The unemployed in Accra have petitioned the government to ensure an effective implementation of the country's labour laws which enjoin employers to recruit labour only through the Labour Department. Under NLC 157 "no employer shall employ any employed or unemployed persons unless that person is in possession. of the labour registration certificate".A spokesman for the Unemployed Association said that this regulation is being flouted by employers.
They noted that job openings in most workplaces are not reported to the Labour Department, rather relatives and acquaintances of officials of these places are illegally offered jobs. They appealed to the CDRS in various work places to help check such illegal "connections".
The labour Registration Officer, Miss Cecilia Mensah confirmed the allegation and said efforts to educate the employers have proved futile.
She said most employers were still ignorant about the fact that they should employ through the Labour Department.
Surplus rice unsold
The Ghana Food Distribution Corporation (GFDC) has not been able to purchase a large surplus of rice in the Northern and Upper Regions because rice farmers in these regions are unwilling to sell their produce at the government approved prices to the corporation.A source close to the GFDC said that initially when the government came out with the minimum guaranteed price of C1,850 for a maxibag of paddy rice, C5 expected of it. million was made available for rice purchases in the two regions but this money could not cover enough purchases.
Three million cedis of the amount was used to purchase paddy rice in the North, while C2 million went to the Upper Region, especially the eastern area.
According to the source, another million was released for rice in the same area but this was the time when rice farmers in the Northern and the two Upper Regions have taken advantage of a temporary shortage of the cereal to increase the producer price of a maxi-bag to between C2,500 and C2,700.
The GFDC was therefore unable to purchase the surplus rice through the Ghana Rice Production Company since it would have resulted in increasing the price of milled rice above the government's approved price.
Inventories on family property
The Asamankese District Information Officer, Mr E. H. Apeaning, has advised family heads to file inventories of family property and give up-to-date account to avoid family feuds.He explained that such a step was necessary since it would differentiate between self-acquired and extended family property.
Mr Apeaning was addressing a public education rally organized for the chiefs and people of Amako in the West Akim district. He urged the public to dispel the notion that the intestate succession law was made for women only and explained that the scheme or distribution and provisions of the law, would be the same whether the deceased be man or woman.
Exhibition on tourism
Dr Mohammad Ben Abdallah, Secretary for Culture and Tourism, has launched the First Ghana International Tourism Exhibition, code-named, 'Inter-Tourism '88' which is scheduled to be held at the Trade Fair Site from November 8 to 17.The exhibition is to promote the development of tourism to support the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP).
It will also unfold to both indigenous entrepreneurs and foreign investors the actual tourist attractions and immense investment potentials in the country as a means of inducing them to invest in both infrastructure and superstructures for tourism in Ghana.
Rawlings points out shortcomings
The Chairman of the PNDC, Flt-Lt J. J. Rawlings has told his secretaries that the shortcomings of those in leadership positions have prevented the Government of the PNDC from making the advancesHe told the Secretaries that there is no point in complacently comparing the achievement of this government with the performance of previous governments. The yardstick for a truly revolutionary government is different therefore, "let us think of how much more we could have done if we had reached the full measure of our worth" he said.
Flt-Lt Rawlings called for a critical review of the achievements made so far, in relation to the declared objectives of the December 31 Revolution.
He stated that many Secretaries who had been dynamic and passionate activists had become swallowed up by bureaucracy after charge of a ministry, it is rather the ministry their appointments, instead of taking which takes charge of them. Revolution is not a routine 9-4 job, he said.
The PNDC Chairman accused some Secretaries and heads of revolutionary organs of losing touch with the grassroots and insulating themselves from the conditions experienced by the majority of the people.
He pointed out that lives had been lost in the defence of the revolution, and that the government continues to call for sacrifices from the people, and yet "some of us are forgetting these things and easing ourselves into lifestyles that do not express the passion of our commitment".
He also warned against the formation of cliques and a defensive attitude towards just criticism, and too much concern for rank and status.
Flt-Lt Rawlings called for a more serious team spirit and a deeper sense of service and specific commitment to accelerate the pace of progress, so that the objectives of the Economic Recovery Programme can be fully achieved.
Chairman Rawlings directed all Secretaries and heads of revolutionary orans to review the performance of their area of responsibility in the light of the 1982 guidelines and targets, and to write up their objectives, strategies and priorities.
He announced that a Co-ordinating Secretariat is to be set up shortly, to act as an operational centre to provide avenues of communication for a more cohesive administrative machinery.
Hearings are to be conducted at which each secretary or head will account for his or her stewardship, providing a forum for the critical evaluation of each one's performance.
Arrangements for returnees from Ivory Coast
Final arrangements have been completed by the Ashanti Regional Administration for the smooth repatriation of Ghanaian returnees from Ivory Coast. According to the subcommittee entrusted with the job, on their disembarkation in Kumasi, the returnees will be screened at the sports stadium. They will be conveyed to their district headquarters from where they will move to their towns and villages on their own.The regional directorate of medical services has mounted health posts at the border and the sports stadium. Dr U. A. Sogbotia, who is in charge of the medical operation, said those found to be carriers of diseases will be hospitalised. He appealed to those being repatriated to take their medical screening seriously. This is because it will serve their best interest and that of the nation.
The Regional Administrative Officer, Mr Sam Darkwa, announced that a ban is being placed on football matches at the Kumasi sports stadium disembarkation point until the whole repatriation exercise is completed.
Operation cutlass
A military exercise code named Operation Cutlass, involving troops in the northern sector of the country, began last week at the Kumasi airport. It involved three officers and 140 men. One officer and 30 men from the airborne force at Tamale were dropped in parachutes from an air force plane, while the rest provided them with ground protection.The paratroopers, who landed in seven batches, were dropped from 360 metres above ground level. Speaking to the troops at the airport after their landing there, the force commander, Maj-Gen Arnold Qainoo stated that the exercise was meant to test their combat readiness and to determine how fast the troops could be mobilised to destroy counter-revolutionary elements
LIBERIA
Doe launches campaign for presidency
Head of State and president of the interim national assembly, Samuel Kanyon Doe, has said that his intention to seek election to the presidency does not in any way provide an avenue for him to seek revenge or to acquire wealth. Gen Doe said the decision stems from his desire to contribute his quota towards the good and development of Liberia.Head of State Doe, who is also the presidential nominee of the National Democratic Party of Liberia, NDPL, made the remark at Dithuel high school, New Kru Town near Monrovia, where he officially launched his political campaign to contest for the presidency in the forthcoming October general elections.
Release of students recommended
The eight-man special board set up recently by Head of State Doe to investigate the arrest of 14 students near the Russian embassy has recommended that five of those arrested be released from further detention. The board's recommendation was contained in a five-page summary and recommendations, submitted to head of state Doe in the executive mansion by members of the board.Those to be released from further detention are Renner Yorke, Lyndon Famabandie, Lucy Fall, Abraham Fall and Isaac Kemah.
Gen Doe, in response, thanked the board for the manner in which they conducted the investigation and assured them that he will carefully study the recommendations submitted to him.
OAU
OAU secretary assumes office
Mr Ide Oumarou, a former Niger foreign minister and his country's former envoy to the UN, was last week in Addis Ababa formally installed the new OAU Secretary- General.Appointed to the last OAU summit in Addis Ababa in July, he signed the handing-over note with former interim OAU secretary-General Peter Onu and senior OAU officials in the presence of Ethiopian Foreign Minister, Goshu Wolde and African diplomats based in the Ethiopian capital.
Mr Omarou appealed to the diplomats to give him support, advice and criticism as the secretariat moved to fulfill the "high of Africa"
He said this required collective effort to end both apartheid and South African colonialism in Namibia. The situation is already "developing in our favour", he said, in an apparent reference to the mounting political unrest in South Africa.
He called for comprehensive, mandatory sanctions against Pretoria, saying that this was the only language it understood, at a time when its isolation from the rest of the world was increasing daily.
BURKINA FASO
Proposal for "revolutionary Entente Council"
Head of State, Capt Thomas Sankara, has said at a rally in Ouagadougou that he wants to "build a revolutionary Entente Council" and that he would fight for that with all his "energy so that our just cause triumphs".Capt Sankara added that he counted for that in the Beninese, Togolese, Niger and Ivorian peoples "who have understood that only revolution will help them to get rid of all those who, inside and outside their countries", prevent them from attaining the "freedom, dignity, peace, and security" they need. "In the future", he went on to say, "thanks to Beninese, Niger, Togolese, Ivorian peoples, along with the Burkinabe people, the revolution will be installed. whether some people like it or not".
Capt Sankara was addressing a rally organised by the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR) of Kadiogo province. The rally was aimed at showing the people's support for Capt Sankara after the position he took at the recent summit of heads of state of the Entente Council.
Pistol seized from Minister
A pistol was confiscated from a Burkina Faso Minister at Heathrow Airport last week before he left for Cairo. Mr Henri Zonga, Minister of Economic Affairs was stopped and told he would be searched but he claimed diplomatic immunity. This was rejected on the grounds that he was not an accredited diplomat. The loaded pistol and ammunition were later put in the hold for the flight.CHAD
Contacts with Libya
The Chad Ambassador in Paris has confirmed that there had been direct contacts with Libya "through the instrumentality of some friendly countries, with a view to organising a meeting between President Hissein Habre of Chad and the Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi".NIGERIA
The Federal Government will soon list jobs that are exclusively reserved for Nigerians in the private and public sector. Also directives for stricter screening of applications for expatriate quota has gone out to ministries and government parastatals.President Ibrahim Babangida said the step was taken to ensure that no expatriate was employed where qualified Nigerians are available. The president was addressing a delega- tion of the Nigerian Labour Congress, which had called on him to lodge the NLC protest over the IMF loan.
President Babangida told them: "We cannot and will not tolerate a situation in which primary school leavers and even graduates remain unemployed for an un- reasonably long time."
Threat of strike
The Nigerian Labour Congress has told President Ibrahim Babangida that workers would go on strike if Nigeria takes the IMF loan. At the State House four NLC officials led by its president, Malam Ali Chiroma, presented a four-point demand to the President.That the IMF loan should not be taken with the conditions attached to it.
That the Federal Government should look into the imposition of various cuts on wages, salaries and fringe benefits.
Reduction of fees in schools and hospitals; and removal of wage freeze.
Answering questions from State House correspondents, Malam Chiroma disagreed that the NLC was trying to blackmail the government over the IMF loan by threatening to call its members out on strike.
Publish IMF terms
A former executive director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Prof. Green Nwankwo, has urged the Federal Govern- ment to publish the terms being demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bridging loan to Nigeria.Publication of the current terms would provide a guide for the on-going IMF debate which the government set in motion, he said.
Speaking in Lagos, Prof. Nwankwo said that he based his call on the fact that certain changes had taken place since Nigeria applied more than two years ago for an extended fund facility of between N.9 billion and N2.1 billion from the fund.
The professor, who as CBN executive director of Monetary and Banking Policy was a member of Nigeria's IMF negotiating team, pointed out that in 1983, the IMF had asked Nigeria to devalue the naira to bring it at par with the dollar. "Now we don't know if that will satisfy the fund," he said, pointing out that gradual devaluation had now brought the naira close to parity with the dollar at 1.09 dollars.
World Bank loan
The World Bank has made available N4.54 million loan to Nigeria for industrial technical assistance. The loan is to enhance Nigeria's efforts to restructure its industrial sector. According to World Bank resident representative in Nigeria, Mr Isharat Husain, the loan would finance the hiring of consultants for the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry and training for its staff and other government agencies.The loan will equally support a series of studies aimed at restructuring the system of incentives and stimulating growth in private industry in addition to examining ways to improve the efficiency of public owned enterprises.
Task force to review decrees
The task force to review decrees promulgated by the former military government has held its inaugural meeting in Lagos. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Justice told correspondents that guidelines for the operations of the panel had already been prepared.He said that members of the Nigerian Bar Association had adequate representation on the panel. At its meeting in Port Harcourt, the Bar Association set up its own committee to carry out a review of the decrees. Later, the former president of the association, Prince Bola Ajibola, who is now Minister of Justice, said in an interview that the committee's proposals on the decrees have been produced.
War against indiscipline continued
The man who symbolised the War Against Indiscipline (WAI), under the ousted Buhari regime Group Captain Samson Omeruah has spoken about the campaign in his maiden address.Group Captain Omeruah, now Governor of Anambra State under administration of President Ibrahim Babangida, told the people of the state that the general environmental sanitation exercise in the state is reduced from once every week to once every month. Group Captain Omeruah said that the WAI campaign would continue and be intensified in full.
He called on everybody in the state to participate effectively in the environmental campaign exercise with more rigour "until our Environmental Sanitation Authority is fully established and functioning".
Calling on landlords to paint their houses and recondition their pavements, the new governor reminded the people that the national environmental sanitation competition was still on.
WAI - a thing of the mind
The Federal Military Government has decided to temporarily shelve the award of one million Naira cash prize to the cleanest state capital on October 1.Lt-Col. Anthony Ukpo, Minister of Information, disclosed this decision to newsmen at State House, Dodan Barracks. Colonel Ukpo explained that the decision to shelve the award was primarily because time would not permit the committee to carry out proper assessment of the cleanest state.
He pointed out that due to the recent change, the committee which was supposed to go on inspection tours of the state at specific dates would not meet the deadline if it embarked on the tour now.
Colonel Ukpo assured that the present administration believed in the War Against Indiscipline in all its ramifications, but was not prepared to over-dramatise its execution.
The minister pointed out that WAI was a thing of the mind and needed no mass rally or call out to prosecute it.
Obasanjo sues two firms
The former Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, has been given 40 days at the Federal High Court to file pleadings in his suit against two companies and a chartered accountant, Chief A.A. Egunjobi.The companies he sued in the originating summons, Seaview Investments Limited and Equity Nominees Limited. The order to file the pleadings was given by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Mr Justice Fred Anyaegbunam. The defendants were given 30 days to file their own pleadings after the receipt of the plaintiff's pleadings.
General Obasanjo is seeking an order that the register of members of the Equity Nominees Limited be rectified by adding his name as the holder of the 25,000 shares of the company "numbered from 2,500 to 5,000 both inclusive.
Wayas sued over rent debts
Former Senate President Dr Joseph Wayas, has been sued over a N67,500 debt. The debt is the arrears of rent due from March 1981 to August 1985 on a house hired out to him in 1979 by a Lagos businessman, Mr Patrick Ani.When the suit was mentioned Mr O. Ashiru, for the plaintiff, told the court that the arrears of rent were on a house at 472, Akin Laguda Drive, formerly Ashoju- Oba Road, Ikeja.
He said the yearly rent payable for the house was N15,000k and that this was payable under the oral tenancy agreement reached by both parties.
The counsel said the defendants in the suit paid the rent for the first two years of their tenancy which expired in February 1981 and that since then the defendants had been in arrears of payment of the rent.
The rejected commissioner
The swearing-in ceremony of new commissioners in Cross River State ran into a hitch because one of the commissioners appointed by the state governor, and who was seated with his colleagues, waiting to be sworn-in was dropped at the last minute.The man, Mr Enoh Jacob Udoh who was to have been appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, was informed by a permanent secretary of the governor's decision.
The reason for his disqualification was not readily available but the state governor, Colonel Dan Archibong, in his apology to the distinguished guests who had waited for him for more than two hours, explained that he was held up in his office by "technical details" of one of the new commissioners.
He said a new attorney-general would be sworn-in on a later date.
Minister re-affirms faith in OPEC
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Professor Tam David-West said he still believes his country could still solve its problems within the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).He told OPEC News Agency (OPECNA) ad an interview that the new military administration of President Ibrahim Babangida has embraced the solidarity of OPEC, adding "I hope my colleagues in OPEC will join hands with me in our efforts to get Nigeria out of the doldrums." Professor David-West regards his ministerial re-appointment as an achievement. "Everything I have done," he stressed, "has been consistent with the interests of Nigeria.
On the much-publicized lecture in Lagos in which he criticised last months oil counter-trade agreements, Professor David-West said he considered the speech as "valedictory" for him as oil minister.
President Babangida had indicated that Counter-trade deals would have to be re- examined and "I believe a machinery for reconsideration of counter-trade will be put into motion soon," he added.
Release of 31 more detainees
Another group of 31 detainees, including three expatriates, has been released by the Federal Military Government. Those released include an industrialist, Chief M. M. Ogbochwuku, Maj D. E. Bele Okpage, Alhaji Lawal Buka, and a former minister in the defunct civilian administration, Mr John Kadiya. Mr Kadiya will, however, forfeit a house in Abuja to the Federal Government.Sixteen others released are also to refund various sums of money to the Government. The three expatriates, Cham Sawakamale, Iran Ofakas and Naresh Chadamani are to be deported immediately.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lt Anthony Ukpo, who announced this in Lagos, said the release of the 31 detainees is in line with President Ibrahim Babangida's pledge to set free all detainees who have been cleared.
Posting of Governors
Governors were deployed to states other than their own by the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) in order to enhance the integration, stability and even development of all parts of the country. Governor of Imo State, Navy Captain Alison Madueke has explained that the action of the council was a pointer to everybody that this country belongs to all of us, and that people must work together as a eam for the development of the country.Governor Madueke made this observation in an address he delivered at the meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee held at the Imo Concorde Hotel, Owerri.
Navy Capt Madueke expressed the hope that the membership of the committee would contribute immensely towards ensuring equity, even development, progress and stability of the country.
Buhari, Idiagbon retired from army
Former Head of State, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, and the Chief of Staff of the defunct Supreme Headquarters, Maj-Gen Tunde Idiagbon, have been compulsorily retired from the Nigerian army. Also retired are 39 other officers including a brigadier, two colonels, 10 lieutenant-colonels, 25 majors and a captain. The former aide-de-camp to General Buhari, Maj M. Haruna Jokolo, was dismissed from service. The retirements and dismissal took effect from 16th September.A Dodan Barracks announcement named former Director of Infantry, Brigadier A. Ahmed, Colonel J. O. Adedipe, Colonel O. Daramola and the former Director of the Army Public Relations Department, Lt-Col R. O. Fashina as some of those retired. Also retired are Lt-Cols S. M. Okoh, A. Daudu, S. A. Olufemi, G. U. Ugoh, C. F. Usokwu, the former Commander Brigade of Guards, Lt-Col Sabo Aliyu and one-time Principal Staff Officer and co-ordinator, Supreme Headquarters, Lt-Col Gbadebo.
Others are Lt-Cols Y. Ibrahim and J. E. Idachaba, the former Commanding Officer of 6 Guards Batallion, Army, Victoria Island.
Among the majors retired are I. Potiskum, G. Luka, A. B. Panox, E. E. Mangibo, A. A. Aiyemoboye, A. S. Usen, E. O. Oluwatimilehin, P. A. M. Ordia, A. Adoki, E. M. Manzo, A. O. Adagboyi and J. A. Crown.
Other Majors retired are M. S. Akande, J. H. Shaahu, J. J. A. Kato, J. K. Ekunleye, S. A. Ojo, S. L. Aii, J. J. Nayina, D. A. Ibinola, A. Doherty, D. E. Ojabo, P. C. Briggs, I. Abdullahi, A. T. A. Fijai. The former aide-de-camp (ADC) to the former head of state, Major Mustapha Jokolo has been dismissed from the Army. The only captain affected is C. O. Aronu.
Invitation to journalists
The Nigerian Press has been urged to see the present military administration in the country as partners in progress. Governor Garba Mohammed of Sokoto State said this while receiving journalists in the state who paid him a courtesy call at Government House.Governor Mohammed noted that the government depended on the goodwill of the press to extensively perform, hence the immediate repeal of Decree 4, which, he said, "put a lot of restraint on the activities of the press".
He added that the repeal of the obnoxious decree had put a lot of obligations on the press and therefore urged media practitioners not to do things that would make the repeal of Decree 4 a matter for regret.
He called for factual reporting on the part of reporters, adding that the present administration was not out to do anything that would endanger the relationship of all citizens in the country.
Another look at identity card plan
The Federal Military Government has given the assurance that it will look into the issue of the national identity card scheme to ensure that it takes off the ground. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Lt-Col John Shagaya, gave the assurance in Lagos.He announced that the Department of National Civic Registration charged with the execution of the project had established offices in all the state capitals including Abuja. The contract for the scheme was signed in September 1982 at the cost of 56.3m naira.
