04-16-08
Page 31
A seminar to inform and build the knowledge of media practitioners on the role of the Internal Audit Agency in improving accountability and performance in the public sector opened in Accra yesterday with a call on media practitioners to act as agents in seeking the truth and uncovering falsehood.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, who made the call, noted that the media had a crucial role to play in the fight against corruption by giving people access to balanced information.
“The role of the media is, therefore, critical in promoting good governance and controlling corruption. They do not only raise public awareness of corruption but also investigate and report incidents of corruption,” he said.
The seminar, which was organised by the Internal Audit Agency, also aimed at establishing a level of awareness among media personnel of the internal audit practice in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).
Mr Tetteh said the effectiveness of the media depended on their access to information and freedom of expression, as well as a professional and ethical cadre of investigative journalists, saying that aggressive and independent journalism was one of the most effective forces that acted against corrupt practices.
He said an independent and liberal judicial system was an important component which ensured media freedom to promote good governance and accountability.
He noted that a judicial system that was too repressive severely limited media freedom and indicated that the fear of having to pay huge amounts of money as a result of libel suits might cause the media not to risk publishing certain matters, even though they might be in the public interest.
“The GJA calls for the setting up of a special fund to assist media houses that are dragged to court out of the desire to serve the public interest and the common good,” he said.
Mr Tetteh said the government and the larger society should accept the watchdog role of the media in promoting public accountability and good governance and “give them the necessary protection to carry out this onerous responsibility at all times”.
The Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Mr Patrick Numo, said the agency was established under Act 658 of 2003 to primarily ensure financial discipline and accountability in the public sector.
The media, he said, had played and would continue to play a vital role in the promotion of good governance in the country. It was, therefore, necessary for the to fully understand the work of the agency to enhance the performance of their agenda setting and watchdog roles.
“The Internal Audit Agency considers the media as a very important stakeholder and partner in the development of our nation and in the attainment of the goals and objectives of the agency. It is for this reason, among others, that the agency found it necessary to host this workshop,” he emphasised.
He said it was important to gather views, ideas and suggestions from the media on the most effective and efficient ways of propagating the essence of the internal audit practice to the various publics.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
2008 WASSCE begins Tuesday
04-11-08
Page 11
THE 2008 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will begin throughout the country next week Tuesday, with 136,936 candidates sitting for the examination.
They are made up of 77,281 males including 16 visually impaired males and 59,655 females comprising five visually impaired female candidates.
A total of 572 schools and 572 supervisors would be in charge of supervision of the examination.
Meanwhile, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has urged candidates writing the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to comport themselves and observe all the rules governing the examination.
“It is our prayer that all of you will comport yourselves well and observe the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination to avoid any act that will put your school into disrepute,” it said.
A statement issued by the National CHASS Secretariat, wished the candidates all the best in the examination.
It said the National CHASS would like to take the opportunity to “wish you all divine wisdom, direction, health and protection during the entire period of the examination”.
It urged the candidates to have faith in God and be assured that they could do all things through Him who strengthened them.
It said the candidates should be confident that once they were well-equipped they would come out with flying colours.
“We wish you a malpractice-free examination and May the Good Lord see you through successfully,” it added.
Page 11
THE 2008 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will begin throughout the country next week Tuesday, with 136,936 candidates sitting for the examination.
They are made up of 77,281 males including 16 visually impaired males and 59,655 females comprising five visually impaired female candidates.
A total of 572 schools and 572 supervisors would be in charge of supervision of the examination.
Meanwhile, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has urged candidates writing the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to comport themselves and observe all the rules governing the examination.
“It is our prayer that all of you will comport yourselves well and observe the rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination to avoid any act that will put your school into disrepute,” it said.
A statement issued by the National CHASS Secretariat, wished the candidates all the best in the examination.
It said the National CHASS would like to take the opportunity to “wish you all divine wisdom, direction, health and protection during the entire period of the examination”.
It urged the candidates to have faith in God and be assured that they could do all things through Him who strengthened them.
It said the candidates should be confident that once they were well-equipped they would come out with flying colours.
“We wish you a malpractice-free examination and May the Good Lord see you through successfully,” it added.
Work progresses on Legon hostel facility
04-18-08
Page 11
WORK on the construction of a hostel facility that will comprise 7,100 beds for the University of Ghana, Legon to ease the perennial accommodation problem facing the students is progressing steadily.
So far the sub-structure, comprising the foundation and ground floors of each of the four storey building projects which began in September last year, has been completed.
Construction work is on schedule and efforts are being concentrated on the super structure which includes the rooms.
The hostel project estimated at GH¢ 7.29 million and is being funded by a consortium of six banks and the University of Ghana. It is expected to be completed in May 2009.
President J.A Kufuor who cut the sod for the commencement of construction of work in September last year said at the sod-cutting ceremony that universities were not lacking in terms of bankable assets that could be invested; citing land, cash in the bank and ideas.
Workers of the four construction firms; Berock Ventures, Adanko Company Limited, Jeskan Limited and Kingdwosco Limited were busily working when the Daily Graphic team visited the project site on Thursday.
The acting Director of Physical Development and Municipal Services of the University of Ghana, Mr Philip Azundow said there had been additional spheres to the work as a result of the slope of the land for support services like banking, among other activities.
He said the building being constructed by Berock Ventures Limited was 42 per cent complete followed by Kingdwosco, Adanko and Jeskan, adding that “when you finish ahead of schedule you are given a bonus.
However, he said, when the work was behind schedule, the construction firm would be penalised based on the rent payable for each room it failed to complete on time.
Mr Azundow indicated that there would be a biogas plant at the site where wastes generated would be recycled, saying that the authorities were considering using the gas from the plant to generate electricity.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said at the sod cutting ceremony that the authorities were doing everything to improve on academic, residential and recreational facilities at the University and expressed appreciation to the government, the Ghana Education Trust Fund and some individuals for their support.
Page 11
WORK on the construction of a hostel facility that will comprise 7,100 beds for the University of Ghana, Legon to ease the perennial accommodation problem facing the students is progressing steadily.
So far the sub-structure, comprising the foundation and ground floors of each of the four storey building projects which began in September last year, has been completed.
Construction work is on schedule and efforts are being concentrated on the super structure which includes the rooms.
The hostel project estimated at GH¢ 7.29 million and is being funded by a consortium of six banks and the University of Ghana. It is expected to be completed in May 2009.
President J.A Kufuor who cut the sod for the commencement of construction of work in September last year said at the sod-cutting ceremony that universities were not lacking in terms of bankable assets that could be invested; citing land, cash in the bank and ideas.
Workers of the four construction firms; Berock Ventures, Adanko Company Limited, Jeskan Limited and Kingdwosco Limited were busily working when the Daily Graphic team visited the project site on Thursday.
The acting Director of Physical Development and Municipal Services of the University of Ghana, Mr Philip Azundow said there had been additional spheres to the work as a result of the slope of the land for support services like banking, among other activities.
He said the building being constructed by Berock Ventures Limited was 42 per cent complete followed by Kingdwosco, Adanko and Jeskan, adding that “when you finish ahead of schedule you are given a bonus.
However, he said, when the work was behind schedule, the construction firm would be penalised based on the rent payable for each room it failed to complete on time.
Mr Azundow indicated that there would be a biogas plant at the site where wastes generated would be recycled, saying that the authorities were considering using the gas from the plant to generate electricity.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said at the sod cutting ceremony that the authorities were doing everything to improve on academic, residential and recreational facilities at the University and expressed appreciation to the government, the Ghana Education Trust Fund and some individuals for their support.
Proposed EPA will deepen unemployment
04-19-08
Page 23
THE Food Rights Advisor to ActionAid International, Ms Anna Antwi, has said the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being negotiated between the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will deepen unemployment in the country.
Apart from that, the agreement would also worsen poverty and hunger, especially among rural producers.
“Jobs and employment in Ghana are threatened by the EU’s proposed free trade agreement with the country. The agreement will enforce the lowering of import tariffs on products like tomato paste, chicken parts, meat, dairy and other products which will flood the local markets. The consequence is great hardships in poor, rural communities where people’s livelihoods are destroyed, making local producers poorer,” she emphasised.
Ms Antwi said this at a panel discussion organised as part of the civil society forum on the upcoming 12th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to be held in Accra from April 20 to 25, 2008.
The programme, which was on the theme, “International Trade and Employment: The Case of Agriculture in Ghana”, was organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and it formed part of the FES work with the TUC to engage trade unions, experts and policy makers on the link between international trade and development.
Ms Antwi noted that the agreement would also prevent Ghana from developing new industries in the future.
She said the implication was that the country would not be able to reduce poverty but remain dependent on primary commodities, with fewer employment opportunities, saying that “Ghana will also depend on the developed nations for its food needs and in the process support the economies and generate employment for other nations”.
She said women would be victims of poverty, with less job opportunities and less social amenities or support for them.
The acting Secretary-General of the TUC, Mr Kofi Asamoah, who spoke on the poultry industry, said there had been unprecedented increase in the importation of chicken, rice, tomatoes and other commodities, mainly from Europe and America, as a result of the unbridled trade liberalisation.
He said although 95 per cent of the country’s poultry requirements were produced domestically in 1992, the figure dropped to 10 per cent in 2002 when the country imported about 26,000 tonnes of chicken, mostly from the EU.
“Many small and medium-scale poultry farmers have closed their enterprises and those surviving are unable to operate at their full capacities. Earlier studies have estimated that over 400,000 jobs have been affected in the poultry industry alone as a result of the importation of cheap poultry products,” he said.
The Resident Director of the FES, Ms Kathrin Meissner, said the upcoming UNCTAD meeting would play an important role in determining the future relevance of the organisation in the multilateral trade regime.
The General Secretary of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), Mr Kingsley Offei-Nkansah, stressed the need for the government to develop pro-poor policies to get the country out of poverty.
Page 23
THE Food Rights Advisor to ActionAid International, Ms Anna Antwi, has said the proposed Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being negotiated between the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will deepen unemployment in the country.
Apart from that, the agreement would also worsen poverty and hunger, especially among rural producers.
“Jobs and employment in Ghana are threatened by the EU’s proposed free trade agreement with the country. The agreement will enforce the lowering of import tariffs on products like tomato paste, chicken parts, meat, dairy and other products which will flood the local markets. The consequence is great hardships in poor, rural communities where people’s livelihoods are destroyed, making local producers poorer,” she emphasised.
Ms Antwi said this at a panel discussion organised as part of the civil society forum on the upcoming 12th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to be held in Accra from April 20 to 25, 2008.
The programme, which was on the theme, “International Trade and Employment: The Case of Agriculture in Ghana”, was organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and it formed part of the FES work with the TUC to engage trade unions, experts and policy makers on the link between international trade and development.
Ms Antwi noted that the agreement would also prevent Ghana from developing new industries in the future.
She said the implication was that the country would not be able to reduce poverty but remain dependent on primary commodities, with fewer employment opportunities, saying that “Ghana will also depend on the developed nations for its food needs and in the process support the economies and generate employment for other nations”.
She said women would be victims of poverty, with less job opportunities and less social amenities or support for them.
The acting Secretary-General of the TUC, Mr Kofi Asamoah, who spoke on the poultry industry, said there had been unprecedented increase in the importation of chicken, rice, tomatoes and other commodities, mainly from Europe and America, as a result of the unbridled trade liberalisation.
He said although 95 per cent of the country’s poultry requirements were produced domestically in 1992, the figure dropped to 10 per cent in 2002 when the country imported about 26,000 tonnes of chicken, mostly from the EU.
“Many small and medium-scale poultry farmers have closed their enterprises and those surviving are unable to operate at their full capacities. Earlier studies have estimated that over 400,000 jobs have been affected in the poultry industry alone as a result of the importation of cheap poultry products,” he said.
The Resident Director of the FES, Ms Kathrin Meissner, said the upcoming UNCTAD meeting would play an important role in determining the future relevance of the organisation in the multilateral trade regime.
The General Secretary of the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), Mr Kingsley Offei-Nkansah, stressed the need for the government to develop pro-poor policies to get the country out of poverty.
We are not on strike-TEWU
04-19-08
Page 23
THE Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) says it has not embarked on any industrial action as reported by a section of the media.
“We have not gone on strike, since there is no need for that now,” the General Secretary of TEWU, Mr Dan Ayim Antwi, told the Daily Graphic yesterday.
He said a resolution adopted by TEWU and the Federation of University Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) on April 14, 2008, called on the government to review upward, the mandate given to the Vice Chancellors of Ghana (VCG) to conclude negotiations with the two bodies on salaries and allowances.
However, he said, the resolution indicated that if by the close of work on Monday, April 21, 2008, the government had not made it possible for the VCG, TEWU and the FUSSAG to “conclude negotiations on salaries and allowances, the government should accept responsibility for whatever happens”.
“We don’t want to create any situation that will be unbearable in the universities. That is why we want the authorities to act with dispatch,” he said.
TEWU members in the universities are in administration, transport services, teaching assistants and the non-academic staff.
Mr Antwi noted that TEWU submitted proposals early in September 2007 before its collective agreement expired on December 31, 2007, adding that in November, the parties met but could not conclude negotiations.
“In January, we adopted a resolution and gave a deadline of two weeks, failure of which we would advise ourselves,” he said, adding that in the course of the period, the National Labour Commission (NLC) mandated the two sides, TEWU-FUSSAG on one hand and the VCG on the other hand, to resume negotiations.
The negotiations, he said, resumed on February 27, 2008, but could not conclude negotiations after TEWU-FUSSAG rejected an offer of 10 per cent from the VCG.
Mr Antwi explained that the various unions in the public sector had agreed that they would not accept any offer less than 20 per cent this year.
TEWU and FUSSAG, he said, therefore, asked the VCG to go for an improved mandate and reconvene on March 12, 2008, and indicated that “as of now, they have not called us”.
Last Monday, he said, the executives of the local unions in the universities met the leadership of TEWU and FUSSAG on the matter, and that it was after that meeting that local union executives went back to meet their rank and file to brief them on the outcome of the meeting with the leadership.
That, he said, was what took place on Thursday.
Page 23
THE Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) says it has not embarked on any industrial action as reported by a section of the media.
“We have not gone on strike, since there is no need for that now,” the General Secretary of TEWU, Mr Dan Ayim Antwi, told the Daily Graphic yesterday.
He said a resolution adopted by TEWU and the Federation of University Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) on April 14, 2008, called on the government to review upward, the mandate given to the Vice Chancellors of Ghana (VCG) to conclude negotiations with the two bodies on salaries and allowances.
However, he said, the resolution indicated that if by the close of work on Monday, April 21, 2008, the government had not made it possible for the VCG, TEWU and the FUSSAG to “conclude negotiations on salaries and allowances, the government should accept responsibility for whatever happens”.
“We don’t want to create any situation that will be unbearable in the universities. That is why we want the authorities to act with dispatch,” he said.
TEWU members in the universities are in administration, transport services, teaching assistants and the non-academic staff.
Mr Antwi noted that TEWU submitted proposals early in September 2007 before its collective agreement expired on December 31, 2007, adding that in November, the parties met but could not conclude negotiations.
“In January, we adopted a resolution and gave a deadline of two weeks, failure of which we would advise ourselves,” he said, adding that in the course of the period, the National Labour Commission (NLC) mandated the two sides, TEWU-FUSSAG on one hand and the VCG on the other hand, to resume negotiations.
The negotiations, he said, resumed on February 27, 2008, but could not conclude negotiations after TEWU-FUSSAG rejected an offer of 10 per cent from the VCG.
Mr Antwi explained that the various unions in the public sector had agreed that they would not accept any offer less than 20 per cent this year.
TEWU and FUSSAG, he said, therefore, asked the VCG to go for an improved mandate and reconvene on March 12, 2008, and indicated that “as of now, they have not called us”.
Last Monday, he said, the executives of the local unions in the universities met the leadership of TEWU and FUSSAG on the matter, and that it was after that meeting that local union executives went back to meet their rank and file to brief them on the outcome of the meeting with the leadership.
That, he said, was what took place on Thursday.
2008 BECE begins today
04-21-08
Page 11
This year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) begins throughout the country today.
A total of 337,110 candidates, made up of 184,919 males and 152 females would take part in the examination which would be written in 9,212 schools.
There would be 1,183 centres and 1,183 supervisors in charge of the examination.
In the Greater Accra Region, 61,313 candidates would be writing the examination, Eastern Region, 37,689 candidates; Central Region, 35,965 candidates; Western Region, 33,967 candidates; Ashanti Region, 69,818 candidates; Brong Ahafo, 30,590 candidates; Volta Region, 26,472 candidates; Northern Region, 21,443 candidates, Upper East Region, 12,257 and Upper West Region, 7,596 candidates.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cautioned candidates and teachers to follow all the examination rules since the necessary penalties would be applied when they were flouted.
Page 11
This year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) begins throughout the country today.
A total of 337,110 candidates, made up of 184,919 males and 152 females would take part in the examination which would be written in 9,212 schools.
There would be 1,183 centres and 1,183 supervisors in charge of the examination.
In the Greater Accra Region, 61,313 candidates would be writing the examination, Eastern Region, 37,689 candidates; Central Region, 35,965 candidates; Western Region, 33,967 candidates; Ashanti Region, 69,818 candidates; Brong Ahafo, 30,590 candidates; Volta Region, 26,472 candidates; Northern Region, 21,443 candidates, Upper East Region, 12,257 and Upper West Region, 7,596 candidates.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has cautioned candidates and teachers to follow all the examination rules since the necessary penalties would be applied when they were flouted.
WAEC security apprehends three persons
04-21-08
Page 11
SECURITY personnel of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have apprehended three persons alleged to be involved in the extortion of money from candidates registering for the November/December West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
This followed media reports of alleged extortion, frustration of candidates and their parents, as well as shortage of entry cards for the registration of the examination.
The suspects who were said to be operating at the Sekyi Asare Menako Hall on the Switch Back Road are Bright Kumado, Japhet Penny and Peter Kuma.
The three said they were facilitating the registration of the candidates. Bright and Japhet said they were asked by an Internet operator at Madina, William Owusu, to help him in the registration of the candidates.
He said they charged the candidates GH¢7 for the facilitation of the registration of the candidates.
The Director in charge of Legal Affairs at WAEC, Mr Frederick Selby, told journalists that Peter had in his possession brown envelopes containing the declaration and confirmation forms of candidates stamped white envelopes.
He is alleged to have charged GH¢1.2 per candidate for the white stamped envelopes and GH¢2 for the collection of the brown envelopes he collected from candidates for submission.
He said the council did not ask any candidate to submit envelopes as part of the registration process.
The Head of National Office of WAEC, Mrs Patience Ayesu, said the council had not employed anybody or agents to facilitate the registration of November/December candidates, saying that suspects were not even supposed to be operating at the council’s premises.
She said WAEC was capable of doing its own registration and did not hire anybody to assist it in the registration of candidates.
She, therefore, advised candidates to desist from channelling their registration through agents and deal directly with the council.
She warned those involved in the illegal act to stop, else they would be caught soon since the council had stepped up security checks.
Mr Selby wondered why some candidates decided to entrust their registration into the hands of others since all the information on the examination was provided on the Internet.
He said the council needed only the declaration and the confirmation forms and nothing else, saying that once those forms did not get to them, it created problems for the council.
He said the council would investigate whether the forms collected by suspects had been presented to it.
The Daily Graphic reported last week that frustration, anger and allegations of extortion by officials of the WAEC had nearly marred the last day of the on-line registration for the November/December WASSCE at the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) on Monday.
Page 11
SECURITY personnel of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have apprehended three persons alleged to be involved in the extortion of money from candidates registering for the November/December West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
This followed media reports of alleged extortion, frustration of candidates and their parents, as well as shortage of entry cards for the registration of the examination.
The suspects who were said to be operating at the Sekyi Asare Menako Hall on the Switch Back Road are Bright Kumado, Japhet Penny and Peter Kuma.
The three said they were facilitating the registration of the candidates. Bright and Japhet said they were asked by an Internet operator at Madina, William Owusu, to help him in the registration of the candidates.
He said they charged the candidates GH¢7 for the facilitation of the registration of the candidates.
The Director in charge of Legal Affairs at WAEC, Mr Frederick Selby, told journalists that Peter had in his possession brown envelopes containing the declaration and confirmation forms of candidates stamped white envelopes.
He is alleged to have charged GH¢1.2 per candidate for the white stamped envelopes and GH¢2 for the collection of the brown envelopes he collected from candidates for submission.
He said the council did not ask any candidate to submit envelopes as part of the registration process.
The Head of National Office of WAEC, Mrs Patience Ayesu, said the council had not employed anybody or agents to facilitate the registration of November/December candidates, saying that suspects were not even supposed to be operating at the council’s premises.
She said WAEC was capable of doing its own registration and did not hire anybody to assist it in the registration of candidates.
She, therefore, advised candidates to desist from channelling their registration through agents and deal directly with the council.
She warned those involved in the illegal act to stop, else they would be caught soon since the council had stepped up security checks.
Mr Selby wondered why some candidates decided to entrust their registration into the hands of others since all the information on the examination was provided on the Internet.
He said the council needed only the declaration and the confirmation forms and nothing else, saying that once those forms did not get to them, it created problems for the council.
He said the council would investigate whether the forms collected by suspects had been presented to it.
The Daily Graphic reported last week that frustration, anger and allegations of extortion by officials of the WAEC had nearly marred the last day of the on-line registration for the November/December WASSCE at the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) on Monday.
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