Anyinam (Ash), Nov. 15, GNA - The Most Reverend Justice Gabriel Yaw Anokye, Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi, has urged journalists to be mindful of the national interest in the performance of their duties.      He said they should do everything to ensure that their work brings peace and progress to the people but not conflict and division.     He was interacting with members of the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners –Ghana (CAMP-G) in Kumasi on Thursday.     Archbishop Anokye underlined the need for them to uphold the truth and high journalistic standards by avoiding stories based on gossip, hearsay and half-truths saying they should be factual and balanced in their reportage.     Members of the CAMP-G had called on him at his office to introduce the Association to him.     He encouraged them to support the church in its spread of the gospel to bring “salvation” to the people.     The Very Rev Father Luis Kofi Tuffour, Vicar General of the Kumasi Archdiocese, reminded the media “to give voice to the voiceless, weak and the vulnerable in the society” by highlighting their daily struggles and challenges.     Mr Johnson Gyampoh, Editor of the Pioneer and President of the Association, pledged to work hard to bring honour to both the journalism profession and the Catholic faith.   GNA...

Kumasi, Nov 15, GNA – Renowned actress Nadia Buari’s quiet, yet trendy fashion, seems to be capturing the imagination and attention of aficionados across the world.       She was the Special Guest at the Eredi Pisano’s annual fashion event held in New York, United States (US) together with the tall list of celebrities in the fashion, sports and entertainment industry.       A press release mailed to the Ghana News Agency by the Akwaaba Media said the event was hosted jointly by Ferrari Maserati, Bice Restorante, Morton Brown, Davidoff Cigars, Tourneau and Alaskan Water.       Nadia was joined by New York Giant football players Prince Amakamura, Justin Tryon, Ramses Barden, Keith Rivers, Kevin Brown, Michael Coe and musician, B Clay to celebrate the sophistication and classic elegance put on show by Eredi Pisano.       In her interviews with some newspapers, magazines and fashion bloggers on her fashion sense, she declared, “I like to be comfortable in anything I wear”.   GNA...

  Accra, Nov.15, GNA - Mrs Effie Simpson-Ekuban, a development economist, has cited access to financial services as one of the major factors impeding the growth of youth development in the country.     She said despite the sizeable number of universal banks, finance houses, finance and leasing companies in Ghana, a large number of the youthful population still lacked access to financial services either formal or informal sector.   Mrs Simpson-Ekuban made the remarks at the multi-stakeholders meeting on youth financial Services on the theme: “Economic Empowerment of the Youth-Enhancing Participation in and Access to Financial Services” in Accra on Thursday.   The meeting organised in partnership with the Institute for Social and Scientific Research and HFC Bank was to introduce the stakeholders to the company’s “HFC Enidaso Account” dubbed: “Start Tomorrow Today” for the youth.   She said the contribution of the youth to economic development was well recognised, yet they faced many barriers in accessing financial services.   She said to overcome the barriers and achieving successful youth financial inclusion required a multi-stakeholder approach that engaged government, regulators, financial service providers and youth service organizations.   She said the youth constituted not only a formidable demographic force, but were also responsible for the minors that made up the next generation and the aged.   “Therefore, their well-being has implications not only for their own lives, but also for the society at large,” she added.   The Development Economist explained that the ability of the youth to make meaningful contributions depended on how far the society supported their development.   She called for constant review of policies, re-assessment of priorities and commitment to address the crucial challenges of adequate financial resources for the youth.   She said that improving financial support for the youth would increase the number of new businesses, which in turn, would boost economic activity.   “It would also enable the expansion of their businesses, leading to increased productivity and growth,” Mrs Simpson-Ekuban said.   She urged stakeholders to coordinate with the various policy makers and regulators to contribute to more effective and closely aligned policies that supported financial inclusion of the youth.   Mr Charles Ofori Acquah, Executive Director, Business Development at HFC, said an account, which was part of the youth save project by the bank, was to support the children to save part of their pocket money to cater for their basic needs and educational expenses.   He told the GNA that the initiative was led by Save the Children in partnership with the Centre for Social Development at the Washington University, the new America Foundation and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor.   He said the product account was designed for the youth between the ages of 12 to 18 who were either in or out of school.   Mr Acquah said an extensive research was carried out amongst the youth to design the account as a custodian account, which afforded them the opportunity to operate their own account under supervision of a trusted adult.   He called on the youth to be dedicated in cultivating a meaningful financial saving habit and investment for their future.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA -The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning said on Thursday that it expected inflation to remain a single digit for the rest of the year.   In a statement issued by Abdul Hakim Ahmed, Media Liaison at the Ministry, said with the current levels of interest rates, the crop harvest season coming on stream and the cedi appreciating, the inflation rate is expected to continue to remain a single digit for the remaining period of the year.   It said the sharp decline in inflation also provided concrete evidence of an economy that is growing at a fast rate.   The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) on Wednesday announced that October 2012 inflation rate stood at 9.2%, marking 29 consecutive months of single digit inflation rate in the country.   “This is in clear contrast to our critics who believe that inflation is likely to return to double-digit zone this year. Compared with the end-year inflation of 18.1% recorded in December 2008, the single digit inflation achieved in 29 consecutive months is indeed an unprecedented achievement,” the statement said.   It said although inflation rose during the first half of 2012, it still remained in the single digit zone.    The rise in inflation after initial declines in the early part of the year was driven mainly by the non-food sector, which was largely affected by the pass-through effect of the depreciation in the value of the domestic currency.   It said the depreciation of the Cedi was, however, stemmed after the government took decisive policy actions to respond to the build-up of pressures in the foreign exchange market.   Indeed, the cedi depreciated by 15% in the first 6 months of the year but by August it had appreciated by 3.3%. It is expected that the cedi will appreciate by 1% in the last quarter of the year. This means that the cedi will depreciate by 11% in 2012 compared to the depreciation of 26% in 2008.   The October 2012 consumer price index shows that inflation is on a downward trend even during an election year. The drop in inflation for three months running was mainly on account of the decline in food inflation, which dropped from 5.5% in July down to  4.1% in October. Non-food inflation similarly dropped from 12.5% in August to 12.2% in October.   The statement emphasized that the country’s economic fundamentals remain very strong.   “Improved macroeconomic policies, underpinned by prudent fiscal management and tight monetary policy has contributed immensely to the decline in both the fiscal deficit and inflation since 2008, while the strong build-up of gross foreign reserves has generally supported the stability of the value of the domestic currency,” the statement said.   GNA...

Accra, Nov.15 GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday sentenced Daniel Kusi Appiah, a taxi driver, to 40 years imprisonment for robbing national service personnel.   The convict threatened the victim with a sharp knife and robbed her of   Samsung Galaxy phone and Nokia phone, valued at GH¢1,550 and €50.   The accused, who was charged for robbery, pleaded guilty to the offence.   However , his accomplice Francis Kwarteng, a mobile phone dealer who was charged for dishonestly receiving , pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to GH¢10,000 bail.   Chief Superintendent (Sup) Dusuti Tuaruka said the complainant is national service personnel who live at Kwabenya.   He said on October 25, about 17530 hours the complainant and a witness in the case, hired Appiah, who was driving a taxi from Obra Spot, Nkrumah Circle, to Kwabenya at a fare of GH¢15.   Chief Sup. Tuaruka told the court that the witness paid his lorry fare and that of the complainant, and alighted at ABC junction and the complainant continued with the driver to Kwabenya.   The prosecution said just about some few meters to the complainant’s residence; Appiah packed the taxi and locked the doors, preventing the complainant from alighting from vehicle.   Chief Sup. Tuaruka said the accused pulled out a sharp kitchen knife from the vehicle, and pointed it at the complainant and ordered her to surrender her two mobile phones, all valued at  GH¢1,550, and €50.   He said the accused asked the complainant to either agree to a sexual intercourse in the taxi or forego the phones and cash he forcibly collected from the victim.   Chief Sup Tuaruka said the complainant pleaded with Appiah to spare her but he (Appiah) pushed the complainant out of the taxi and sped away with the booty. The complainant reported the case to the Kwabenya Police.   The court heard that on November 9, the witness spotted the taxi of the accused and alerted a Police officer who was on duty at the Passport Office around the Ridge area and the accused was arrested.   The prosecution said when the taxi was searched the Police found the knife the taxi driver used in robbing the complainant.   Chief Sup. Tuaruka said when the accused was interrogated by the Police he admitted the offence, and he was handed over to the Greater Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department for the necessary action.   He said the accused stated that he had sold the Samsung Galaxy to Kwarteng at Circle for GH¢500 and the Nokia phone was also sold to somebody he could not identify for GH¢40.   He said the accused led the Police to Nkrumah Circle near the Ghana Commercial Bank area where he identified Kwarteng as the one who received the Samsung Galaxy phone and he was arrested.   Chief Sup. Tuaruka said Kwarteng in his caution statement admitted buying the phone from Appiah at GH¢500 and said he also sold the phone to another person he could not identify.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – Miss Regina Lumoh, Principal Nursing Officer (PNO) at the Department of Chest Disease of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has said tuberculosis is on the increase in some communities in the Ablekuma Central.   She said Abossey Okai, Sabon Zongo, Ayigbe Town, Sukura/Russia and Lartebiokorshie are areas where the cases are on the increase and advised the people in these communities to seek early treatment when they experienced long lasting coughs and pain in the chest for more than two weeks.   Miss Lumoh said the current statistics was 17 cases being reported in the first quarter (January to March) with seven females and 10 males infected while the number increased to 23 with 10 females and 13 males in the second quarter of the year 2012.   Speaking at the at the World TB Day awareness programme at Sabon Zongo, she said the symptoms of TB disease include weakness, weight loss, fever, no appetite, and sweating at night.   Other symptoms of the disease, she said, depends on where in the body the bacteria are growing adding that “if the disease is the lungs, known as pulmonary TB, the symptoms may include a bad cough pain in the chest and coughing up blood,” she explained.   The PNO explained that TB is spread through the air from one person to another through throat coughs and sneezes when they breathe in the bacteria and become infected.   Miss Lumoh advised the infected patients to take all medicine exactly as directed by the doctors adding that “you should also keep all of your clinic appointments to enable the doctors to effectively monitor you.”   She said people cannot get infected with TB bacteria through handshakes, sitting on toilet seats or sharing dishes and utensils with someone who has the disease and urged family members not to shun TB patients.   Miss Jane Amerley Oku of Janok Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation and facilitator of the event held at Zongo in the Mmmeete Electoral Area, expressed gratitude to Dr Akosua Baddoo, Specialist at the Korle Bu Chest Diseases Department and Miss Millicent Annor, Deputy Director for educating the public on the disease.   GNA...

Accra, Nov 15, GNA. - The World Bank says Ghana has made a significant successful effort in building capacity at the local level in Community Health and Family Planning Project.   This was contained in a press release entitled “When do Participatory Development Projects Work,” issued by the Bank and made available to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday.   The release quoted a new World Bank report, which said “Involving local communities in decisions that affect their lives is central to making development more effective, and has the potential to transform the role that poor people play in development by giving them voice".   The release said it was also vital to pay a great deal of attention to context and to commit strongly to transparent monitoring systems, as in Indonesia’s Kecamatan Development Program.    It added that a new Policy Research Report analyzing participatory development efforts showed that such projects often failed to be sensitive to complex contexts, including social, political, historical and geographical realities, and fell short in terms of monitoring and evaluation systems, which hampered learning.    The report shares evidence-based lessons on the challenges donor agencies faced in inducing participation, including the need for a responsive state and a strong awareness of local context, and recommends several steps to ensure that financiers support projects effectively, such as flexible, long-term engagement and participatory monitoring.   According to the release, given that the World Bank itself invested $85 billion over the past 10 years on local participatory projects, with other donors adding billions more, the Bank researchers concluded that while community participation had had some success in improving outcomes in health and education, it had been less effective in reducing poverty, or in building the capacity for collective action.   The Bank reiterated that there were some common features among community-based programs that had done well in reaching the poor and improving services.   It cited Brazil’s Programa Saude da Famılia, which provides free health services managed by municipal governments under the supervision of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, as another strong engagement by the state.   It explained that the assessments of the Brazilian program revealed substantial health effects, especially for newborn babies and young children and in addition, the program was cost-effective.   The  release noted that the World Bank and other donor agencies needed to take several steps to ensure that they supported projects with those characteristics.   "The  Policy Research Report (PRR) is the latest edition in a series managed by the World Bank’s research department", it said, adding that PRRs aimed at contributing to the debate on appropriate public policies for developing economies.   The Bank said this year’s edition laid out a conceptual framework and empirical underpinning on participatory development.   GNA...

Logre (U/E), Nov. 15, GNA – The Logre Concerned Youth, a group based in the the Nabdam Constituency, have express dissatisfaction over their Member of Parliament (MP) and the government for neglecting the development of the area.   The group, led by its Secretary, Mr Bugre Wisdom, said this at a Press Conference in Logre.   They said the MP for the area, Mr Moses Asaga, had failed to fulfil his promise of providing the people in the area with a dam, good roads and electricity.   The group said the MP had shown no concern to the development activities of the area and cited an instance where teachers of the Logre Junior High had to sacrifice to complete a classroom block in the community after several appeals to the MP fell on death ears.   They said his indifference towards their plight again occurred when the roof of the JHS was ripped off by a storm and several appeals made to the MP yielded no success till the World Vision and Afrikids came to their aid.   “As we speak in Logre Kollpeng, Logre Potin and Logre Zooge portable water is a scarce commodity. The electricity poles placed in the community have gone bad. Several calls to the MP have still gone unheeded.”   Madam Juliet Kumdaare, a teacher in the Community, said as because of lack of water in the community, children in the area go to school late as they have to look for water in distant places.   “Due to the bad nature of the road leading to the clinic in the area, cars cannot travel on it, creating complications for both the pregnant and sick as they seek for care and attention,” she said.   The Regent for Logre, Zatou Sapalug, said their demand was not politically motivated but were genuine concerns adding that the community can no longer tolerate the trickery and deception from politicians.   Meanwhile in a telephone interview, Mr Asaga said, the issue at stake was a campaign issue and would address them in due course.   GNA...

Cape Coast, Nov.15, GNA - A 30-year-old labourer, Gilbert Quarshie Amenuvor, was on Wednesday fined GH¢12,000 by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for practicing illegal mining at the beach at Elmina.     Amenuvor pleaded guilty and would go to prison for three years if he fails to pay the fine.     C hief Inspector Charles Anku told the court presided over by Mr. Ohemeng Mensah that on August 22, members of the Mining Task Force from the Inspectorates Division of Minerals Commission in Accra went on their usual patrols in Elmina.    He said when they reached Ayisa they spotted Amenuvor and some other small scale miners busily operating.    Chief Inspector Anku said the illegal miners on seeing the task force personnel took to their heels and they were pursued until Amenuvor was arrested and handed over to the police.   GNA...

Wa, Nov. 15, GNA – Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister, has expressed dissatisfaction about the lackadaisical manner Ghana Television (GTV) news desk handles stories from the region.      “I am sorry to say this, but think I am very disappointed with GTV about the way they treat stories coming from this region”, he lamented.      Alhaji Sulemana expressed the worry when the Minister of Information, Mr. Fritz Baffuor, paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Wa on Thursday.       Alhaji Sulemana said stories from the region were usually delayed unnecessarily and used at a time they were no more relevant.      The Regional Minister appealed to the Information Minister to do something about the situation, to enable the region also get its fair share of services of the state-owned TV.      Alhaji Sulemana, however, commended the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Radio and said: “they are doing well and must be commended.”      Mr Baffuor assured Alhaji Sulemana that he would take the matter up with management of GTV to ensure that the concern was addressed appropriately.      He said government is planning to invest in GTV to enable it deliver effectively its public service role for the nation.      Mr Baffour said he is in the region to inspect facilities of the Information Department, interact with the staff to find out their challenges.      He said this would enable him to report to government to consider resourcing the Ministry to enable it deliver on its core mandate of information dissemination.   GNA...

Sekondi, Nov. 15, GNA – Superintendent of Police Yakubu Ayamga, the Kweismintsim District Police Commander, has appealed to political parties not to create their own security force during the day of the election as electoral security was the sole responsibility of the security agencies.   He said the situation whereby parties and their agents create special election security to monitor elections was, “illegal and an offense” in the electoral process and urged them to desist from the act.   Mr Ayamga said this at the launch of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Election Security Taskforce in Sekondi on Thursday.   He said another phenomenon was the springing up of purported “Keep Fit” clubs also used by political parties for campaigns and that such clubs did not seek police permission though their activities were clearly political.   Mr Ayamga said such keep fit activities had been used to insult and provoke political opponents and this was not conducive to creating good political atmosphere in the country. On political posters, he called on the various parties to exhibit some level of maturity and stop the act of defacing their opponents’ posters adding, “Every party is entitled to market itself without any infringement”.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs,  in collaboration with the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD), a non-governmental organization, has developed a charter to guide the management of natural resources in the Brong-Ahafo Region.     The charter was launched in Sunyani by the traditional authorities and its objective is to create awareness on the value of traditional natural resource management practices.     It also seeks to regulate development strategies for revitalizing and up-dating them with modern law and practices, research and document past, present traditional mechanisms and customary laws and practices that protected the forests in the past.     An official statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the Charter would ensure transparency and accountability in the use of royalties and the use of the research findings to develop a TATAC for Traditional Authorities in the region.      The President of Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, who is also the Paramount Chief of Kuokum Traditional Area, Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, said traditional authorities occupy a unique position in the management of natural resources.     He said “through the traditional institutions in our various councils that we work with are accepted by our people as the political, judicial and the spiritual embodiment of the communities and therefore take responsibility in the management of community resources.      “As traditional leaders, we have a commitment to our ancestors, the living and posterity. While thinking of satisfying the needs of the present generation, we owe it a duty to build a natural capital for the future generation”.     Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II noted that the development of the Charter and its subsequent launching had come at the right time “when many of our traditional authorities are faced with a problem of effectively managing their natural resources for the ultimate benefit of the people in general and the Traditional Area as a whole.     “… I have no doubt that the development of this Charter will enlighten Nananom who are stakeholders in natural resources, so as to contribute our quota in the proper utilization and sustainability of our forest and other natural resources”.      He said traditional rulers have been contributing positively to forest governance in Ghana through the enforcement of traditional customary laws and regulations that ensure sustainable management and use of forest resources.    He said he was hopeful that the charter will enhance the organizational capacity of Chiefs and provide information on forest and natural resources management at the local level as well.     Osahene  Kwaku Aterkyi II said the charter would eliminate all the ambiguities in the utilization of these natural resources, as Chiefs of the House would use it to their advantage for other Houses of Chiefs in the country to emulate.    Mr. Wilberforce Laate, Deputy Executive Director of CIKOD, who is also the Project Leader in Ghana, expressed the hope that the development of the charter would be the first step for the traditional authorities to demonstrate that they have in place management systems that meet the needs of the present generations.      The charter, he said, justified the relevance of traditional authorities in the management of natural resources in Ghana and will contribute to transparent and accountable governance of natural resources at the district and local level.    “We expect that traditional authorities with the support of their community members will use the Charter as a tool to engage the District Assemblies and other stakeholders on the disclosure and use of the revenue that they receive from natural resources”.     Touching on public discloser of forest revenue, Mr Laate said that public perceptions showed that traditional authorities were contributing positively to forest governance in Ghana through the enforcement of traditional customary laws and regulations that ensure sustainable management and use of forest resources.     He said in many traditional councils, there were laid down procedures for the disbursement of the royalties within the paramountcy, but that was unknown to the public.     Mr Laate, therefore, called for the need to institute a self-regulating mechanism to address the negative tendencies associated with the management of natural resources by traditional authorities.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 14, GNA – Mr Iddrisu Sow, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Resident Representative in Ghana, Thursday said the current trend of diabetes in the sub region could only be reversed if Ministry of Health, civil society and communities work together to reduce diabetes risk factors.      He said in recognition of the challenges posed by diabetes and other non communicable diseases, countries in the sub region must look for measures to reduce risk factors such as overweight, obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use and consumption of food with high content of fat and energy.      He said there was the need to accelerate efforts by creating local and regional awareness of diabetes and empower individuals and societies to prevent it and its many life threatening implications.      Mr Sow said this at a symposium to mark the 2012 World Diabetes Day celebration, on the theme, “diabetes: protect our future”, in Accra.      He said the day is to remind all of the absolute need to change unhealthy life styles and promote physical activities and healthy diet as an effective and low cost means to prevent diabetes and thereby protect the future.      He said it is estimated that some 230 million people worldwide suffer from the disease and this number is likely to be more than double by 2030 if effective interventions were not undertaken.   Sub Sahara Africa would witness 98 percent increase from 12.1 million cases in 2010 to 23.9 million cases in 20230 if the current trend remains.      Mr Sow said “death due to diabetes is common today among people aged 20 to 39 years, the most economically productive segment of the population and survey carried out recently by the WHO indicates that 15 percent of adults aged 25 to 69 years have diabetes”.      He said the overwhelming majority of affected persons were unaware they had the disease due to which many cases were diagnosed late usually after complications had become so evident, adding that most of them also lack access to proper treatment and medicines.      Mr sow called on all member states of the WHO to scale up the development and implementation of comprehensive and integrated diabetes prevention control programmes, reiterating the WHO’s commitment to continue to support them to address the burden of the disease in the region.      Mr Lee Ocran, the Minister of Education in a speech read on his behalf, said diabetes specific education was important for health care personnel and people living with diabetes, saying the day was also to educate the public to be aware of how to recognize disease early as well as how to access education and clinical resources for its management.       He said investing in diabetes education and prevention programmes would save the nation money in the long term and also delivers significant returns in the quality of life for people living with the condition as well as those at risk.      Mr Ocran said “the importance of diabetes prevention however cannot be underestimated, hence unless significant efforts were made to curb the rise in diabetes, health care service across the world would soon be crippled by the high cost of treating the disease and its complications”.      Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, said it was important for the disease to be accorded equal national concern as other life threatening diseases including tuberculoses HIV and AIDS.      She said the day is for all to pause and reflect critically about the measures to be taken and pursued to prevent the occurrence of the disease especially among young people, adding that the youth must live conscious lives by avoiding deliberate and inadvertent behavioural pattern that could increase their chances of developing the disease.      She noted that government had also rolled out interventions to promote safe public health especially among the youth, saying as the future human capital of the nation the requisite interventions must be provided to enable them develop.      The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahowi, said facilitating food production was a core mandate and plays a key role in the management of diabetes because food comes first before any intervention.      He said agriculture had so much to offer as production activities include physical exercise which is an integral part of managing diabetes, adding that the consumption of imported processed foods with lots of sugar and fat with minimal fibre must be reduced.     Mr Ahowi cautioned all to take agriculture seriously whatever the size or type, eat diverse foods which are low in fats and sugar, eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise and seek timely health advice.      He urged the youth to take greater interest in agriculture as a profession for food production which is the backbone of good health and income generation.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – Authorities of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital announced on Thursday  that Former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama is alive and receiving treatment at the Hospital.      “Media reports that suggested that His Excellency, the former Vice President had died are therefore untrue", a statement signed by Mr Mustapha Salifu, Public Relations Officer of the Hospital, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said.    It added that his condition was critical and he was on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Cardiothoracic Center, adding that a team of specialists was working and constantly monitoring and reviewing his condition.      The statement said: “With the support of Government, we have also made a special arrangement with air-ambulance team to fly the former Vice President abroad for further management should the medical team attending to him make that recommendation.”      It cautioned the media to exercise great circumspection in publishing or broadcasting unfounded rumours about patients who were on admission.      “This is because such untrue stories impact negatively on the patient, the family and the medical team”, it stated, and indicated that the hospital authorities were ready to help the media verify such rumours to nib them in the bud.   GNA...

Wa, Nov. 15, GNA – The Upper West Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) in conjunction with the KAB Governance Consult on Thursday held a dialogue with parliamentary candidates in the region under the “Enhancing the Credibility of 2012 Elections” project.       The dialogue sought to enlighten and deepen the confidence of the candidates in the electoral process, identify factors necessary for the realization of peaceful elections and update them on preparations made so far made by the EC towards free and fair elections in December.       The meeting was also to explore options for improved collaboration between the Commission and the candidates by providing a platform for candidates to seek explanation from the Commission at the highest level on matters of policy that might be agitating their minds.       Mr Ali Dauda, Deputy Regional Director of the Commission, assured the candidates that the EC would provide a fair playing field all the candidates and appealed to them to play their roles fairly.       He advised them to organize their campaigns according to the rules so that all would benefit from the free and fair election that has been envisaged.       Parliamentary candidates who attended the meeting included, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister , also the NDC candidate for Sissala West and Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minister of Health who is seeking re-election for the Nadowli/Kaleo seat.       Other prominent candidates who attended were, Alhaji Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Deputy Majority Leader, who is vying for Wa Central and Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, former Minister of Health seeking to retain the Wa West seat.   GNA...

Kumasi, Nov 15, GNA - Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has donated 45 desktop computers and accessories valued at GH¢88,500.00 to support chieftaincy in Ghana.      The National House of Chiefs (NHC) received 10 of the computers,  the 10 Regional Houses of Chiefs received two computers each, and 15 went to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture.      Mr. Kofi Attor, Administrator/Chief Executive Officer of GIFEC, handed over the NHC’s share of the computers and accessories including a printer, wireless home router and 10 UPS, at a ceremony in Kumasi.           He said he was confident that the equipment would help facilitate operations of the NHC, and gave the assurance that GIFEC would continue to give technical support to chieftaincy.           Naa Professor John S. Nabila, President of the National House of Chiefs thanked GIFEC for its contribution to the development of chieftaincy.   GNA...

Accra, Nov. 15, GNA – The African University College of Communication (AUCC) on Thursday launched a Centre for Media, Religion and Culture for the institution to critically explore the interface between those three fields of studies.      The centre is to be a research and teaching centre, dedicated to bringing together professionals in the three academic fields and the public to generate information that could lead to a comprehensive and systematic understanding of society and ultimately contribute to the furtherance of inter religious and social peace in the country.       Mr Kojo Yankah, President of the College said the launch was to add to the study and teaching of the various patterns of communication that could be applied to the numerous religious structures and forms.      He said there appeared to be a struggle amongst technologies, communication tools, and cultures, but lurking in the background was the force of religion and it’s phenomenal impact and influence on society.        Mr Yankah said the AUCC would continue to provide the platform for academic and professional discourse on religion, media and culture, adding that “this would be a significant contribution to the world of knowledge”.      Professor Kofi Asare Opoku, Senior Vice President of AUCC and Director of the Centre, said religion and culture were inextricably intertwined in traditional society.     “Religion, culture, politics and societies were an integral part of a seamless whole in which no part could stand on its own... thus tradition continues to be part of the substratum of contemporary social reality which calls for thorough and critical investigation.       “Islam and Christianity have added to the complexity of the religious and cultural landscape,” he said, adding that “This also calls for analysis and interpretation through ground-breaking and painstaking research by faculty and students of the centre”.      Prof. Asare-Opoku said the centre would contribute to the shaping and understanding of media, culture and religion, and provide the opportunity to bring the results of research to bear upon real life experiences.      He noted that the centre would emphasize on dialogue that leads to the understanding between scholars, practitioners, and the general public.       Professor Stewart Hoover, Director, Centre for Media, Religion and Culture of the University of Colorado, indicated that the world had changed and the assumption of those studies must change as well, saying "to exist today, religion and media plays a very critical role."      He said in order to understand religion, culture and the media, it was important to look at it from the point of technology and history, adding that media interpretation of religion would enable journalists to understand the best aspect of religion in today’s world.     Professor Hoover noted that the course would focus on knowledge acquired through research to be transmitted by organizing professional and undergraduate courses focusing on the intersection of media, religion and culture, as well as the running of short courses for media practitioners and religious functionaries aimed at increasing their professional efficiency.   GNA...

Takoradi, Nov.15, GNA —A civil engineer and a former lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Prof Augustus Addae-Mensah, has suggested the immediate closure of some portions of the Takoradi Market Circle structures which have developed serious cracks to avoid disaster. His call comes in the wake of the recent Melcom Shopping Mall Disaster in Accra, which claimed 14 lives whilst many people got injured. In an open letter to the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Takoradi, Prof. Addae-Mensah, said the dilapidated structures of the market could crumble at any time. He, therefore, appealed to the city authorities to take proactive measures to save lives. “My urgent appeal to the city engineers is to recommend an immediate closure of certain portions of the structure and vacation of all traders to enable immediate rehabilitation and repair works to be carried out,“ he said. Prof. Addae-Mensah also appealed to the city authorities to seriously consider pulling down old abandoned private and state buildings as well as giving a facelift to the metropolis by improving the lightning system and road network. He attributed the deplorable condition of the market and other private buildings in the twin-city to lack of maintenance and supervision as well as the salty atmospheric moisture content that had diffused profusely into the concrete structures thereby resulting in rusting of iron bars. As a result of the metropolis’ closeness to the sea, the salt moisture content goes as far as 10 miles from the Gulf of Guinea northward and this calls for regular maintenance to avoid another disaster, he said. “Takoradi is one of the areas in Ghana with the highest relative humidity level of 80 to 90 percent and I believe that all these factors contribute to the dilapidation”, he said. Meanwhile, the ministries annex block in Takoradi occupied by the various state agencies and institutions including the Ghana News Agency, Geological Survey Department, Ghana Education Service, Rent Control and Community Development has developed serious cracks.  Some public and civil servants in the block trooped to the offices of the GNA in Takoradi to register their fear and worry. They have, therefore, appealed to the Regional Coordinating Council, which have supervisory role over the block, to intervene to avert disaster.     GNA ...

Accra , Nov 15, GNA - Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, on Thursday introduced the world’s first free intercontinental incoming roaming service by including India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to its current bouquet of "One Network" services for its African customers.     A statement released by Airtel in Accra said customers already had this facility across the company’s mobile network in 17 countries across Africa.       It said Airtel customers in Africa would not need to register for the "One Network" service or buy new SIM cards as they would now be automatically provisioned as "citizens" of Airtel’s borderless network across 20 countries in Africa and Asia.    It said this offered opportunities to a base of 60 million Airtel customers in Africa to roam at affordable tariffs in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.     "By offering free incoming calls whilst roaming, the service ups the ante for global telecom providers as the seamless service across continents is a world-first amongst mobile service providers," it said.    Airtel said this would greatly benefit the travelling population, consisting of tourists, corporates, businessmen and students who wanted to keep in touch with people back home.       Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Africa said: “Mobile communication has the ability to connect communities. Airtel’s One  Network now gives our customers the ability to drastically reduce roaming charges whilst travelling within and across the two continents. Our goal is to provide affordable and relevant mobile communication solutions across borders.”       Within 17 African countries, "One Network" also allows Airtel customers to use their local Airtel SIM cards whilst abroad, giving them access to attractive rates for calls made, access data, enjoy value added services and recharge using local top up vouchers in the country visited.       The statement said the service was poised to benefit increasing intra-regional trade between Africa and the South Asian nations which currently stood at over 60 billion dollars.     Equally, the number of travellers between Africa and India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has been growing.     The statement noted that India was the main destination for most of African travellers for trade, its tertiary educational institutions and affordable medical facilities.        It said the countries covered by Airtel "One Network" Services were Kenya, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.   GNA ...

Takoradi, Nov.15, GNA - Mrs Rebecca Kabukie-Adjalo, official of the Electoral Commission (EC), on Thursday said the introduction of checks and balances in Ghana’s electoral system has made the process open, reliable and transparent.          She said on December 7, copies of voting results at polling stations would be given to all party agents and parliamentary candidates for collation and cross-checking.         Mrs Kabukie-Adjalo said these at a meeting, organized by the Department of Foreign and International Development  and facilitated by the KAB Governance Consult for parliamentary candidates in the Western Region, at Takoradi.         She said the EC would ensure that electoral rules and guidelines are fairly and strictly enforced on voting day.      Mrs. Kabukie-Adjalo said every ballot paper must have validating stamp, specific to the polling station.      She said election officials would indicate the polling station, total number of ballot papers available and the total number of voters, on a form.      Mrs. Kabukie-Adjalo said another form will be filled before counting of votes, indicating the number of people who voted and number of ballot papers used, among others.     She asked political parties to impress upon their agents to ensure that these forms are filled.     GNA ...