‘Remove Parliamentary, A-GD Reps From Procurement Board’

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 12 February 2007

AN economist, Kwame Pianim, has described the Public Procurement Act as "cumbersome," and called for the exclusion of representatives of Parliament and Attorney General’s Department from the Public Procurement Board.

He explained that representatives of the two institutions already have busy schedules, saying "these are all busy people, so to get them to review procurements is difficult.

"They are also not necessarily experts in procurement and so they should not be on the board," he said, in an interview with the Times after the opening of the third joint review meeting of the Private Sector Development Strategy and Action Plan in Accra last Friday.

This was in reaction to concerns raised by the participants on delays in the procurement processes.

He noted for instance that it could take an organisation about six months to go through the procurement processes to recruit an expert or acquire a vehicle.

He called for the removal of the cumbersome processes while ensuring that people remain accountable for their jobs.

Mr. Pianim, who was the chairman for the occasion, said representatives from Parliament and the A-G’s Department "are supposed to be doing some work that they do not even have time to do," stressing that their job is to make sure that rules and laws concerning businesses are done properly.

He said that Parliament, for example, represents the sovereign people of the country, and explained that when one misspend funds, it goes to the Public Accounts Committee, which has the time to investigate.

"You cannot be a hunter and also be one of the people being hunted" he said and added: "I don’t think we need the A-G and Parliament to be represented. Parliamen-tarians have no business to be on the Procurement Board."

"They supervise to ensure that things are done properly and should not be part of those recommending the expenditures," he said.

Elephantiasis, Oncho Alert !

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 07 February 2007

AN estimated half of Ghana’s population is at risk of contracting elephantiasis and another four million of onchocerciasis.

This is because these people live in places where the vector and the parasite exist in the country, Professor John Gyapong, Director of Health Research and Management of the Neglected Tropical Diseases NTD of the Ghana Health Service, told newsmen in Accra yesterday.

He also noted that the majority of children in the country, have all kinds of intestinal worm; a situation which is affecting their performance in school.

Prof. Gyapong was speaking at a stakeholders meeting on NTD to discuss a two-year intervention programme developed by the USAID to eliminate NTD to a level that would no longer be public health significance in Ghana by 2015.

He described the NTD situation in Ghana as "pretty much alarming" and noted that the interventions had come at the right time that Ghana is making effort to address the situation saying "it will galvanize all these programmes to manage the situation"

He said NTDs disproportionately affect the health and ruin the lives of people in developing countries, noting "at least one billion people currently suffer from one or more of these diseases worldwide".

In Africa alone, schistosomiasis (bilharzia) affects at least 160 million people out of whom at least 30 million suffer permanent life-threatening complications, he said.

He said that human suffering represented by the figures is enormously greater than the 270 cases of avian influenza reported globally over the past three years yet the neglected tropical diseases are seen not to threaten international health and security.

He said the NTDs occur almost in impoverished populations, adding that the diseases flourish in areas where water supply and sanitation are inadequate, and insects and other disease vectors are constant household and occupational companions.

Prof.Gyapong explained that the consequences of the diseases go beyond severe damage to health.

He mentioned years of agricultural productivity,inefficient land use, food insecurity and missed days at school as some of the burden of NTDs.

The Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosah, expressed regrets that parliamentarians are using their share of the district assembly’s common fund for infrastructure to the neglect of health problems in the districts.

He therefore appealed to them and district chief executives to use some of the fund for health interventions.

Dr.George Amofa, Director of Public Health, called for massive community investment to be able to make impact in the control of neglected tropical diseases.

Sodom, Gomorrah rebuilds

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 24 January 2007

Five days after a fierce fire gutted Sodom and Gomorrah, a slum in Accra, the residents have started rebuilding the wooden structures to serve as homes.

When the Times visited the affected area yesterday, some residents had finished putting up their structure, made up of plywood, and painted them after the lands were filled with saw dust. Others were seen busily at work.

A fierce fire last Thursday swept through the area and destroyed property worth millions of cedis.

Most of the residents who could not start work immediately have erected wooden pillars on their plots to prevent other people from encroaching upon them.

Those who spoke to the Times,accused the government of being insensitive to their plight.

They said that although some government officials visited the area after last Thursday’s disaster, no assistance has been received.

One of the victims, Mohammed Hamdu, said Nii Tackie Commey,Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Isaac Amo, Director of NADMO and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations had inspected the area after the disaster and said "We cannot understand why the government has abandoned us to our fate."

In November last year, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing,Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, announced that government has acquired land at Adjen-Kotoku near Amasaman to relocate the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah.

'Police, Media Need To Fight Crime'

By Stephen Kwabena Effah, Dodowa
Saturday, 20 January 2007

The Minister for the Interior, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has called for a responsible media reportage and a broader education on the complex activities in the country’s criminal justice system.

"Indeed, I have heard it argued that we should seek to institutionalise the media as a regular pillar in the criminal justice system," he said.

Speaking at workshop on combating organised crime here yesterday, he explained that such initiative would make the torch of press freedom burn brighter to guide media practitioners in their role towards peace, security and prosperity of the country.

The two day workshop, oganised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in conjunction with the British High Commission is on the theme: "The Role of the Media in Combating Organised Crime"

Editors, senior journalists and police personnel are discussing ways to improve media-police relations to enhance cooperation to expose organised crime.

The participants will also identify challenges facing the media in crime reporting and security issues, and encourage the police to provide protection to media personnel in their line of duty.

Mr.Kan-Dapaah said that criminologists have established that crime coverage presents negative image regarding the effectiveness of the police and the courts in controlling crime and punishing criminals, adding "news coverage fails to educate readers on the factors leading to crime or how to avoid personal victimization".

Crime and its related activities, he said, pose unbearable effects on the economic dynamics and security of a country, noting "governments lose billions in tax revenues from criminal activities".

He noted that although the criminal justice institutions for combating crime have shown to be doing their best, they still have limited capacity to match the regularity and sophistication of organised crime in recent times.

He therefore advocated a new approach to involve all stakeholders in the country to confront the menace, saying that the portrayal of the police as "toothless bulldogs" in the media urges people to tempt them.

"When we write to ridicule the police as toothless bulldogs, don’t we end up encouraging criminals?"

The president of the GJA, Ransford Tetteh, appealed to the police to provide greater protection for journalists as a result of the high level of occupational hazard.

He said that although journalists are not police offcers, their role in society requires them to be watchdogs of society.

He said the approach, methodology and mode of execution sometimes result in disagreement but advised that such situation should not lead to antagonism which may result in physical attacks on media personnel as was the case last year.

The British High Commissioner, Gordon Wetherell, said fighting organised crime is important in itself, especially as Ghana celebrates its 50th anniversary and pledged the assistance of the United Kingdom in this and other related cases.

Government Secretarial School Hit By Protests

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Friday, 19 January 2007

Students of the Government Secretarial School in Accra on Wednesday went on a five-hour demonstration to register their protest against the school’s acting principal.

Wearing red arm bands, caps and headgears, the students numbering over 100, gathered at the school as early as 8:00 am amidst chanting of war songs that brought academic and administrative activities to a halt.

At 9:45 am, when the acting Principal, Samuel Tetteh arrived, the students started shouting "go away, go away" "you must go" and they would not heed pleas for calm by some members of staff.

They refused to go to their classrooms and turned down Mr.Tetteh’s invitation to meet with their leadership. Rather they proceeded to the Office of the Head of Civil Service where they presented a petition received by the Chief Director, Edward Barnes.

Speaking to the Times, a spokesperson for the students, Mary Colnerrosse gave a catalogue of grievances, accusing the principal of arbitrariness and corruption.

She said that although their admission letters stated that they were to undergo an 18 month course beginning September 2005 to March 2007 Mr Tetteh had extended the period without any explanation.

She said that at a meeting with the students on Monday, January 15, Mr.Tetteh again announced the postponement of the release of the results of Stenographer Grade Two examination they wrote in November/December last year, from February to April.

She explained that although a person referred in a subject had two chances to write and pass the referred subjects before sitting for the Grade One examination, "Mr. Samuel told us that students referred in the Grade Two examination would write the referred paper in June, at the time others would be writing the final paper, that is the Grade One".

"This means that the referred candidates will write their grade one examination in December, and in that case we will be required to come for part time classes at a fee," she said.

She also said Mr.Tetteh was supposed to have gone on retirement last December and wondered why he was still at post. She therefore called for an immediate action to be taken on him.

Miss Colnerrosse again alleged that Mr.Tetteh repeatedly said that "our destiny is in his hands and since he failed his exams seven times, he will also fail us seven times".

Some members of staff expressed support for the students’ action describing the acting principal as a "dictator and morally corrupt person who does not want the school to progress."

They alleged that some students who failed their examinations were passed after paying bribes to the principal, ranging between ¢1.5 million and ¢2 million.

When contacted, Mr.Tetteh said, "I will not comment until I speak to my director"

The Government Secretarial School, located at Cantonments in Accra offers secretarial and business courses for senior secondary school leavers as well as refresher courses for secretaries and office administration.

170 Babies To Test New Malaria Vaccine

By Stephen Kwabena Effah, Kintampo
Tuesday, 09 January 2007 (Page 3)

The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) is to recruit 170 babies at birth for the second phase of the Malaria Vaccine Trial now ongoing in the Kintampo North and South districts of the Brong-Ahafo Region.

Currently, only children aged between five and 17 months are participating in the two-year malaria vaccine trial which started last September, and is being sponsored by the Malaria Vaccine Initiative.

Dr. Seth Owusu-Adjei, Director of KHRC, said that half of the babies would be given the malaria vaccine alongside the routine polio and tuberculosis vaccines that are given children from the age of six weeks.

"The other half will go on the normal routine vaccinations and the two group would be evaluated later to determine the level of protection that they would have from the malaria vaccine and the level of protection they would have from the routine vaccination," he told a team of journalists.

This was at a Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance sponsored field trip for journalists from the Africa Media and Malaria Research Network to assess the progress of the malaria vaccine trial in the Kintampo districts.

Dr. Owusu-Adjei an epidemiologist, said the plan is going through "ethical approval" and explained that "the earlier you introduce protection for malaria into a child, the better."

"If the vaccine is able to achieve 50 per cent protection against severe malaria after the trial, then it could reduce the mortality from 20,000 to 10,000 annually in the country," he stated.

Dr. Owusu-Adjei said that other forms of malaria protections such as the insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnant women, could also add up to the percentage and help to reduce the malaria burden dramatically.

Asked whether any of the tried participants had experienced an attack, since the trial began, he replied: "We’ve treated some of the kids for malaria," but pointed out that not every child in the trial is on the malaria vaccine.

He said the phase three of the project would begin next year and by 2011, it would be adopted by the government.

Psychiatric Units Needed In Districts

By Stephen Kwabena Effah, Kintampo
Monday, 08 January 2007 (Page 3)

A CLINICAL psychologist at the Kintampo Health Research Centre, Bright Akpalu, has advocated the establishment of psychiatric units in all districts to deal effectively with psychiatry cases.

He observed that lack of such units in the districts makes people take patients with mental problems to prayer camps which worsens their condition.

Speaking to the Times during a visit to the centre by a group of journalists, he said that sometimes when people with mental problems are taken to prayer camps they are subjected to human rights abuses including being chained and beaten.

The journalists from the Africa Media and Malaria Research Network were at the centre to assess the progress of the ongoing malaria vaccine trials in the district.

Mr Akpalu said it is proper to see a doctor immediately one sees a symptom of mental problem since some mental problems can be managed initially."

He noted that the Wenchi, Kintampo, and Tain districts have no mental health personnel to handle reported mental cases in those areas, although a research on schizophrenia conducted by the centre last year in the areas showed a high rate of mental disorders.

He attributed the disorders to genetic disposition, the use of marijuana, and depression.
Depression, he said, is one of the leading causes of psychiatric cases in Ghana which many people do not consider as a mental disorder.

He, therefore, advised those who find themselves in such situations to seek early medical attention. He also advised against the use of the alcoholic "bitters" and other forms of drugs as sexual stimulants, saying "It is a misconception about sex.

The 20-month malaria vaccine trial which is in its second phase started in September in Kintampo and Agogo by the Kintampo Health Research Centre and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.

Ghana was selected among six other African countries for the trial which was developed by the Glaxo-Smithkline Biologicals in Belgium.

The vaccine is being tried on 540 children in Ghana aged between five and 17 months.

Kweku Ananse Surfaces In Accra

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 16 December 2006

When was the last time you sat by the fireside to be told stories about Kwaku Ananse?

Well, the mischievous Kwaku Ananse, as he is mostly portrayed in the country’s folklore is wanted and as such he must die!

However, Ananse the trickster, is no more in the village stealing from farms as he used to. He is now in a city called Akwaaba — "A land rich with stories" — and making headlines in the dailies for his mischievous acts.

This is the storyline of "Ananse Must Die!"a new, animated cartoon which seeks to address pertinent socio-cultural issues in an exciting new way.

The one hour movie, which will be released next March, was written by Cecil Jones Abban, a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and produced by Parables Productions,a Christian broadcasting organisation.

The movie was unveiled by the Director of the Geothe-Institut, Ms Ellenure Sylla, in Accra on Thursday.

It is aimed at producing an animated story in a modern way as a means of reviving the age-old folktale hero, Kwaku Ananse, who is conspicuously missing in present times.

It opens with a unique African tune which is the theme song.Ananse is brought into the modern world in the movie, accessing the Internet, driving and doing a host of other things.

Living in a land full of stories, the almighty tasks a group headed by Ananse to weave stories in the House of Tales for the people.

Being selfish as usual, Ananse leaves the house to pursue his mischievous acts and is given an ultimatum to find his way back to the house. The heat then starts when ‘Sasa-bronsam’ (the evil one) tries to prevent Ananse from meeting the deadline given him to find his way back to the House of Tales.

But Ananse’s mentor, Suhuroo, tries to help Ananse find his way to the house. But will he be able to assist him. And will Ananse die or not?

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Jones Abban noted that animation in Ghana has become more of commercial work than movie, saying "comparing what is happening in the outside world, there is much more to do in animation in the country."

He said that animation can be used in so many ways, especially in addressing the moral decadence which has plagued the country.

The movie will be produced on DVD, VCD and VHF cassettes. There will also be a series for television stations.

Big Hip-Life Extravaganza To End Year

By Stephen Kwbena Effah
Saturday, 16 December 2006(Times Weekend)

THE fun and the excitement that come with the end of the year will undoubtedly begin next Friday, December 22, when some 70 hip-life artists, their producers and fans among other people come under one roof for what is tagged as "The Celebration of Hip-Life".

Popularly known as the official Christmas party, the crème de la crème in the hip-life industry will converge at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel Pool Side in Accra to interact among themselves and their fans.


Being organised by Citi 97.3FM, over 70 artists are expected to flock the venue night to dine and wine with each other and fans while they strike business deals as well.

Those expected to participate in the annual event include the godfather of hip-life,Reggie Rockstone, Castro the Destroyer, Obour, Mr. All 4 Real, VIP, old Mzbel, Tic Tac, Lord Kenya, Praye and Wutah.

Others are Kwabena Kwabena, Batman, the executioner, Obrafour, Chicago, Barosky, K.K Fosu, 4X4, Slim Buster, Kofi Nti, Shilo, Screw Face, 2Toff, Kokoveli and a host of others.

Although it will not be a night of musical performances by the artists, they will give a line or two of their hit songs at their own will but guess would be treated to good music.

The pre-event atmosphere is getting hotter, and hotter giving an indication of a massive show ever to bring such an array of hip-life artists together in the country for a happy moment. Last year, the party was attended by about 50 hip-lifers but the number is expected to double this year.

Behind the turntable that night will be the "Citi’s" Baby Boy ( E- Double) who will dish out the latest hip-life realease, hip-hop, R&B and hardcore tunes.Expect some of his good remixes as well.

Speaking to Times Weekend, the Programmes Manager of Citi 97.3 Fm,Nii Amah Dagadu, said the event aims at creating a network of the hip-life artists saying "the artists do not meet as friends so we are bringing them together to exchange ideas and criticise their work".

The fans will also get the opportunity to have one-on-one interaction with their favourite artists, wine and dine with them while they make friends.

More importantly, he explained that the platform would more importantly bring about some collaboration in their new albums, which is good for the industry.

They have so far contacted over 70 artists who have expressed their interest and confirmed their participation adding that a lot more will be contacted, he said.

Admission to the party is strictly by invitation, he said, adding that fans and listeners will be invited through a draw. He explained that those who want to participate need to call the station where they will be required to leave their particulars which will be entered into a draw.

The party is being sponsored by One Touch and Accra Brewery Limited.

McCarthy Hill Residents Stop Church Project

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Tuesday, 19 December 2006 (Front Page)

McCarthy Hill off the Winneba road, is a suburb of Accra that evokes wealth, prestige and power. The last thing anyone would associate its residents with is demonstrations, so what were they doing carrying placards, on a Saturday morning?

Picketing: The residents’ were picketing the area’s branch of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGCC) which has started constructing a church building at a site described by residents as unauthorised.

They contended that their rights to a tranquil environment would be breached, should the construction of the church building be allowed in the locality.

So, to protect this right, the McCarthy Hill Residents Association last Saturday morning converged at the building site to register their disapproval of the construction of the church’s building.

Placards carried read: ‘Leave us in peace,’ ‘ practise what you preach;’ ‘Stop the congestion,’ and ‘Don’t disturb others’ among others.

The picket, which lasted for about two hours prevented the workers who had gone to the site that Saturday morning from working.

The association is also threatening legal action against the ICGCC.

Briefing the press, on the issue, the secretary of the association, Kamel Noshie, said that apart from the noisy atmosphere the church’s activities would create, it would also affect the security of the community as there would be an influx of all kinds of people in the area at anytime.

The secretary, who is an architect, questioned the church’s adherence to the various building regulations, especially those with regards to the zoning, parking ratio, consent of adjoining neighbours and building to land ratio.

Mr Noshie explained that the residents upon realising a church was being built in the area, contacted the Ga West District Town and Country Planning Department which ordered the builders to stop work and produce the relevant document, by December 12.

He said that the church defied the order and rather placed a permit number on the building which is at a foundation level.

The association consequently wrote to the Town and Country Planning Department national head office in Accra on December 4, to inform it about the situation. "An officer was delegated to evaluate the building location," he added.

Mr Noshie said since nothing was heard thereafter, the only option left to them now is to take a legal action to restrain the church from continuing with the building.

The building has also allegedly blocked an access road to the houses of some residents while its construction had resulted in damaging some pipelines which supply water to some houses in the area thus denying the affected houses of potable water.

An official of the church, who was at the site during the protest, declined to comment when contacted by the Times.

A planning officer with the Ga West and Country Planning, Christine Hammond, when contacted, expressed surprise at the church’s action saying, "we stopped them from working and even collected some of their tools."

She said the church was not able to produce the drawing upon which the permit was given and besides, had not yet satisfied the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental assessment.

Ms Hammond warned that the church would risk demolition of the building if it did not satisfy all the building regulations and requirements before going on with the constructional work.

Ms Hammond assured the residents that the Town and Country Planning Department would do all within its powers to settle the issue.

GJA Urges PR Officers To Expose Imposters

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 18 December 2006 (Page 4)

THE Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has appealed to the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana, to help it flush out imposters who have invaded the journalism profession and are engaging in extortions.

The President of the GJA Ransford Tetteh, who made the appeal, said that the situation was causing a lot of embarrassment to the GJA and it was about time "we bring sanity into the journalism profession."

He urged public relations practitioners to check the identity cards of people who parade themselves at events as journalists.

Mr. Tetteh was speaking at the 5th investiture and admission of new members into the IPR Ghana in Accra last Friday. In all, 35 new practitioners were admitted into the IPR, 27 of whom were associate members and eight accredited members.

"We need to sanitise the system so that the profession can continue to play its role in the democratic dispensation and be respected by members of society," Mr. Tetteh said, adding that journalists who are not members of the GJA could still practise their profession provided they conducted themselves professionally.

Mr. Tetteh said event organisers were sometimes to blame for the activities of imposters explaining that in their desire to get their evens publicised, they accepted anyone who came to events claiming to be journalists.

Mr. Tetteh also advised accredited journalists to be bold and point out any imposter they meet at programmes to the organisers saying, "you know your colleagues so you should be bold to tell the people parading as journalists that they are not."

He said the GJA will organise more workshops and seminars for its members under continuing educatin programme to promote standards.

"If we do that we may avoid some of the landmines that face us everyday that we are dragged to court, the national Media Commission or the GJA Ethics and Disciplinary council," he said.

Speaking to the Times, the president of the IPR Ghana, Kojo Yankah, said the institute has agreed with the GJA to hold periodic meetings to dialogue on the issue of imposters and how to address it.

He said earlier moves to weed out charlatans from the profession failed, because the mechanism for monitoring was weak, adding that there was the need to strengthen the monitoring mechanism "so that we will be alert all the time."

Kwanyaku Water Works Extension Completed

From Stephen Effah, Kwanyaku
Friday, 15 December 2006 (Page 4)

Expansion work on the Kwanyaku Water Supply System to produce an additional 4.6 million gallons of water daily to serve five districts in the Central Region will be completed by the end of December, seven months ahead of time.

The 24.136 million Euro project, which will be inaugurated in January, involve the rehabilitation of the old water treatment plant to increase its production capacity from 2.7million to 3.8million gallons per day.

The old and the new plant will together produce a total of 7.7 million gallons a day to meet the demand of 750,000 people.

The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company, Mr Gerald Samuel Odartey Lamptey, made this known to newsmen when the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Hackman Owusu Agyemang, inspected the project site on Wednesday.

Funding for the project, which started in January 2005 was provided by the Dutch and Ghana governments and was scheduled to be completed in June 2007. It is being executed by Denys Engineers and contractors.

He said 13 towns and 160 surrounding villages in the Agona, Gomoa, Mfantsiman, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam and Awutu-Efutu-Senya districts will benefit.

The Director of Denys Engineers and Contractors, Bruno Geltmeyer said the new conventional treatment plant is currently being test-run, and added "we have been doing testing of the water quality at the laboratory in the last week to ensure good quality".

He said the standard of treated water in the country is better than the required standards by the World Health Organisation.

Mr.Owusu Agyemang commended the Netherlands for the support and the contractors for the good work done so far to solve the water problems facing the people.

He said that apart from Assin area all other major towns and cities in the Central Region will now have treated water which is a major step towards solving the water crisis in the region.

He said that government is committed to ensuring that 85 per cent of Ghanaians have access to potable water by 2015, noting that water is one of the Millennium Development Goal that Ghana can achieve "because of the concern government is giving to the sector."

He said that government is sourcing funds from Exim Bank China to construct a major treatment plant at Kpone Number 2 by middle of next year to produce about 4 million gallons of water per day which will also be complemented by the Accra Rural water project to cater for Dodowa and its surroundings.

Mr.Owusu Agyeman said that while water is being produced, it is important that Ghanaians take its management very seriously saying "management of the water we produce is very important and we cannot use treated water for washing cars".

Ghanaian BBC Juror Talks To Times Weekend

Interview: Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 09 December 2006

The BBC has selected a 24-year-old computer science and chemistry student of the University of Ghana, Selase Kwawu, to help judge the regional stages of its first ever BBC Africa Radio Awards in February. He was one of three people in Africa selected from over 1,200 people who entered a competition dubbed: “How Radio Changed My world”. Times Weekend spoke to him about his interest in radio. Excerpts:





QUESTION: Since when have you been a BBC listener?

ANSWER: Well, I loved radio. I picked up an interest in listening to the radio quite young. But I think somewhere along the line, when I was taken to school, infact my attention got attracted to something else so I lost that desire to listen to the radio.

But after school, when I got the chance to read, I got back to the habit of wanting to listen to many news items before the day ended. I mean I have been very ardent with BBC for four years.

Q: There are a number of international radio services like Deutche Welle Radio and Voice of America. Why the passion for BBC?

A: Well, as I mentioned earlier on, I have a very keen interest in the quality of things I hear and see around, especially English language. I see English as the only tool I have to communicate. I can’t speak my local language very well, and that is shameful, so I see English as the only means of expressing myself very well.

I always look out for the best when it comes to listening. I don’t know much about DW and other stations though but I think that my eagerness to get to the best led me to the BBC and I must say that I was extremely overwhelmed by the quality of the content that the BBC delivers and so it immediately caught my heart.

Since then, I find it difficult switching to some other network, even though occasionally I listen to some of the documentaries on other radio stations. I must say that BBC programmes are very educative.

Q: So how do you marry your studies with radio listening?

A: You see, if you have passion for something you’d make time for it .We don’t create time ourselves. All we are expected to do is to manage time. Now it’s been found out that the average person can memorize a whole encyclopedia if he decides to do it.

I believe that you can make time to be ‘a jack of all trades’ and master of all. David Livingston (medical doctor, a visionary, a writer and all that) demonstrated that and he succeeded in all of them. So even though my course is very, very demanding, I find time for the radio at least, every morning and every evening before I go to bed. The radio wakes me up from bed and sends me to bed.

Q: What is your favourite programme on BBC and why the preference for that programme?

A: Generally, I am overwhelmed by anything I hear on BBC, even though I don’t have the time to tune in to the BBC in the day. I realise that anytime it’s BBC and I hear the voices of the presenters, something runs through my body.

I think these three programmes distinguish themselves: One is Digital Planet, a programme which focuses on current trend on ICT in the world and there’s Focus on Africa which helps you have a broaden view, perspective on the African continent and Have Your Say which obviously brings together views from all parts of Africa and its more interactive and a discussion.

Q: How have the programmes impacted on your life?

A: The BBC as a whole has had a really tremendous impact on me and it will be very difficult for me to say that just three have done something exceptional in any life because, one it is the culture of broadcasting of the BBC that I appreciate the most, the level of intellectualism and the high standard of professionalism.

Those were the qualities that drove me to the BBC in the first place and those are the qualities that have kept me with the BBC as at now. I think my world view, my philosophy about life and how I think the African continent can be improved.

Q: What informed your decision to enter the competition. “How Radio Has Changed My World”?

A: Well, I heard a couple of the entries. You know people contributed and I heard some of them being read on air. I thought like well, I could do something. I entered the competition because I see radio as a vital tool in shaping what I call the philosophical consensus and general world view of on continent.

If in one small way I can help fine-tune or re-configure the very foundation of this great institution which in my opinion is moving from its implementation to its establishment stages in, that was what I thought, that if I have a personal view that this tool can transform the African continent and there is an opportunity, why not.

Q: How do you feel about being selected as one of the three listeners to join the three regional panel judges?

A: You can just imagine. I was really, really excited but then when I thought about the whole thing later on, it humbled me completely.

Q: Why?

A: I had read other people’s work on the internet which were equally good. So I saw this as God’s intervention

Q: What was the expression on your face when you heard that you have been selected?

A: I find it difficult to express how I felt. And fortunately for me too, that day there was no one in the office. I was alone and so when the news came, I had a brief bout of shouting, and waved my arms in the air, that kind of thing. So at least, I managed to show joy. I was very, very excited.

I did not even tell anybody that day because I didn’t know how to say it. It was the next morning that I informed colleagues.

Q: What are your thought about the BBC Africa Radio Award?

A: This award plays essential role in giving the media in this continent an identity, confidence and recognising their achievements over a period of time. I must say I’m very excited to be among the judges in deciding which of these works comes out as the best.
I must be quick to add that even this award is going to celebrate an achievement, I see the media in Africa in its very, very germinal stage, and I think that this is the time we all need to come together and build it stronger.

Because if we do not lay a very solid foundation for it, and we want to lay a foundation that is weak, a foundation that is based on people’s personal sentiments, it won’t be the best. I also see it as an opportunity to point out the loopholes and help stakeholders to correct it. Then we can boast of proud broadcasting institutions in the future.

Q: So what do you think is the best way to be able to achieve this?

A: Well, one is to tell stories in a clear, concise and balanced, manner.

Q: Do you see the media in Ghana not playing this role effectively?

A: It’s very difficult to slam a verdict on the media in Ghana, to say that the media in Ghana has done well or the media has not done well. I see the media in Ghana as having more than room for improvement. I think the media in Ghana is probably a model for some African countries but then as we believe that there is so much that we need to do in terms of quality of work we present on radio. In terms of the vision of a particular radio station and that is what I find very difficult to crystallize when I listen to radio in Ghana.

I find it very difficult to get what the vision of the radio station is. Is it to educate the youth or the general public of the country or to advertise? If radio has a powerful force in shaping people’s way of thinking, then we need to do more in Ghana.

Idols West Africa Premiere In February

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 09 December 2006
(Times Weekend)

Are you harbouring a dream of becoming a superstar and or can you sing to move hearts?
Then start training your vocal cords, perfecting your lyrics and plan to audition for one of the most successful reality shows in television history in the world-Idols West Africa- to be premiered on M-Net in February.

Throughout January, a three-member panel will begin to scout for 1,500 people between the ages of 18 and 30 from 17 West African countries at four locations in two countries to compete for a prestigious international recording contract.

On January 6, the panel will start the search at the Ibru Victoria Gardens in Lagos, Nigeria, after which the train will move to Sheraton Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria on January15.

It will be Ghana’s turn on January 20 at the Aviation Social Centre in Accra and then end at the Cultural Centre in Calabar,Nigeria on January 26.

All "wanna be stars" who will flock the auditioning centres would be required to perform a song from a wide array of music, including traditional, western, English, African, pop, reggae, R&B, and rock.

However, those who will be selected at the auditioning stage into the theatre group and top ten stages will be required to sing pop as the show is looking for a pop star.

"The contestants must choose their songs wisely," said Joseph Hundah, Operations Director of M-Net Africa at the launch of the show in Accra on Tuesday.

He noted that the auditioning stage would be very "demanding" since the contestants would have to bring out their best in order to be selected for the next stage of the competition, adding "the show embraces Africa’s lasting love-affair with music."

He added "Wherever you go in West Africa, there are songs in the air, voices in harmony, a radio humming, a rhythm being celebrated. That’s what Idols is about."

Mr.Hundah said that the excitement factor of the Idols West Africa would increase in the weeks ahead when the names of the presenters for the show and the judges are announced early next year.

"This rich continent has massive potential. The key to our success will lie in understanding continental diversity and appreciating cultural differences."

He said that M-Net would consider signing a deal with a local television station which will have the right to broadcast the event for non DSTv subscribers.

Like every television reality show, the public will not be left out as they would be the judges to decide who qualifies for which stage through text messaging. The role of the judges would only be in shaping the contestants to bring out their best.

In the United States, "American Idol" has now become one of the biggest shows in television history, and was the number one show in that country last year. In South Africa, the "South African Idol" has reportedly also caught up well with the public.

DISABLED COMPLAIN ... About Computerised Schools Selection

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Friday, 01 December 2006 (Front Page)

PERSONS With Disabilities (PWDs) have called for a review of the computer placement system to recognise blind candidates who do not offer Mathematics and Science.

They explained that although the blind do not offer mathematics and science subjects, these subject are being used in grading those who write the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The appeal was contained in a resolution adopted by the PWDs after four regional sensitization workshops held nationwide to increase their access to productive resources and development opportunities in the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) to improve their livelihood and welfare.

Presenting the resolution in Accra at a press conference yesterday, Mrs Sefakor Pomeyie, Chairperson of the Ghana Society for the Physically Disadvantaged, also called for the exemption of the deaf from taking part in English and French orals, saying “a lot of the deaf fail English partly because they normally do not have interpreters.

“Even where there are interpreters, the phonetics and semantics are difficult to grasp,” she added.

Mrs Pomeyie said that while the PWDs commended government for the GPRS II Initiative which has a major focus on human resource development, it should expand opportunities such as the provision of incentives and enhancement of training for teachers in special schools, text books and physical infrastructure and modernization of formal education for PWDs in both mainstream and special schools.

She urged the government and development organisations to develop information sharing mechanisms for the visually impaired and deaf by providing brail versions and sign interpretations of important information for them to access.

"Interpreters should be provided at various social service points such as hospitals banks courts etc," she stressed.

She expressed regret about the non-payment of the five per cent of the District Assembly Common Fund to PWDs for their self-development as recommended by government.

In cases where it is paid, the assemblies do not pay the five per cent of the total amount received, she noted and urged the government to operationalise the draft modalities development by the Ghana Federation of the Disadvantaged on how PWDs can access their share of the DACF.

She commended government for facilitating the passage of the disability law and urged it to expedite action on the implementation pf the law by the various agencies, government department and bodies.

The Chief Executive of the SEND Foundation West Africa, Siapha Kamara, observed that none of the infrastructure, especially school buildings built with HIPC funds is friendly to people with disabilities and therefore urged the government to take into consideration those with disabilities whenever putting up any infrastructure.

Gov't Acts On Sodom & Gomorrah Squatters

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 29 November 2006 (Page 3)

RESIDENTS of Sodom and Gomorrah, a slum in Accra are to be relocated to Adjen-Kotoku, near Amasaman in the Ga West District by the first quarter of next year.

The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, who announced this in Accra yesterday, gave the assurance that the necessary social and physical infrastructure would be provided in order not to detach the residents from the source of livelihood.

Speaking at the West Africa High-Level Peer Exchange Conference on Government of Private Sector Lending for Affordable Housing, the Minister said: “Sodom and Gomorrah is certainly not fit for human habitation.”

He emphasized that government’s focus is not only on new housing areas but also on existing slums and informal settlements where the housing environment and conditions needed to be improved.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang explained that the government’s decision to sell over 6,000 state-owned rental low-cost houses in the country to the sitting tenants at affordable prices is to encourage Ghanaians to own their homes and also to raise additional capital to support the government’s affordable housing programme.

Opening the conference, President J.A. Kufuor said that government was providing a radical reform in acquisition and registration of title to land to assure investors of security of their investments.

“As a first measure, government is putting together a land bank which already possesses 50,000 acres throughout the country to support commercial estate developers,” he said.

He blamed weak town and country planning offices for unregistered and poorly laid out urbanization which is rapidly degenerating into slums.

He said that it is critical and urgent that the department concerned is strengthened and empowered to control proper and efficient use of land to guarantee the requisite provision of physical, sanitary and utility infrastructural services.

President Kufuor said that government has identified urban slum upgrading as a priority intervention area to improve lives of the urban poor in line with the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals.

Kentefest Launched

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 25 November 2006 (Times Weekend)

AN exposition to promote Ghana’s foremost colourful indigenous Kente fabric, as an original Ghanaian brand was on Thursday launched in Accra.

Christened: "KenteFest", it will identify Ghana as the place of origin for the unique kente cloth.

It also seeks to expose the rich Ghanaian cultural heritage, history and people to the world.

The festival which takes place from February 13 to 16, next year at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra and Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi, will also feature other handicraft as well as jewellery alongside the Kente.

It is being organized by Davida Expositions in collaboration with the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture Affairs, National Commission on Culture and Office of Asanteman Nkosuohene.

As part of the festival themed: "Discover Ghana…The Homeland of Kente, an annual Kente Excellence Award has been instituted to award Ghanaians who have excelled in their various fields for the past 50 years.

In all 25 deserving nominees in the fields of science, journalism, performing arts, media, personality, innovations, lifetime achievers, business and traditional rulers among others will be the first to be inducted in to a "Kente Hall of Fame".

KenteFest will bring together professionals in the fashion and the mining and jewellery industries as well as tourists, investors and business professionals.

Visitors at the exposition will have the opportunity to see kente weavers and adinkra makers in action as well as skilled craftsmen and goldsmith working on their products from concept to finish using locally made tools in a traditional way.

There will also be a traditional durbar featuring some traditional chiefs in a cultural explosion, receiving visitors and exhibitors alike amidst drumming and dancing.

A modern Catwalk show will also be staged featuring clothes designed with the Kente cloth by some of Ghana’s renowned fashion designers.

The KenteFest will be crowned with a highlife extravaganza involving most of Ghana’s renowned highlife musicians.

The history of Kente dates back to over 400 years ago when a man named Ota Karaban and his friend Kwaku Ameyaw from the town of Bonwire in Ashanti went to a forest and saw a spider waving its web.

The two learned to weave by observing the spider.

¢100billion Earmarked To Start Students’ Loan Fund

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 22 November 2006 (Page 3)

OVER ¢100 billion is expected to be disbursed under the implementation of the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) for the 2006/2007 academic year which began in August.

A total of ¢5 trillion will be needed by the fund within the next six years to disburse to fresh students in the various tertiary institutions starting from this academic year.

The Fund’s acting Chief Executive, Kokui Adu, who announced this at a media briefing in Accra yesterday, said the initial implementation of the fund is being done in collaboration with SSNIT which has a database.

She said SSNIT will play the role of assisting with the distribution, receiving and processing of application forms and authenticate guarantors.

Mrs. Adu pointed out that only students enrolled in accredited tertiary institutions to pursue accredited tertiary programmes and who are in need qualify for the SLTF.

She said the amount to be given to each applicant will be based on the programme of study, adding, "In the 2007/2008 academic year and beyond, loans will be given based on the genuine need of each student".

To ensure effectiveness, she said the fund would establish campus offices in all the tertiary institutions to serve as enquiry points for students, to pickup and drop off application forms, check for completeness of forms and disseminate information to students in a timely manner.

She indicated that it would be the responsibilities of the institutions to provide office space, verify students’ status and provide any other relevant information that would be useful in the processing of loan applicants.

Mrs. Adu said the funds would be sourced from GETFund, development partners, loans from SSNIT, tax deductible voluntary contributions and loan repayments by beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries will have a two years of grace period after completion of their programme, before they start repaying adding, "The beneficiary will have nine years of repayment period"

Mrs.Adu said that the fund is considering as part of its long term plan, to introduce an internet-based information scheme where a beneficiary would be given an account to enable him to have access to their records wherever they may be.

First Rural Credit Union Inaugurated

From Stephen Kwabena Effah, Agona Nyakrom
Wednesday, 22 November 2006 (Page 9)

The first of 20 rural credit unions to be established throughout the country to support the mobilisation of rural savings was opened at Agona Nyakrom in the Central Region on Friday.

The ¢510 million sponsored initiative by the Barclays Bank of Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Co-Operative Credit Unions Association, is part of the bank’s micro banking programme launched last year.

Under the initiative, the bank will support the unions by funding the first set of deposit boxes for the people, provide office spaces for the unions and pay a credit manager for two years.

The Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, in a speech read on his behalf said that government, under the Millennium Challenge Account, allocated 20 million dollars to rural and community banks for on-lending to micro, small and medium enterprises.

He noted that government has also secured 25 million dollars from its development partners to support small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to get access to credit at a cheaper cost.

Mr.Baah Wiredu said the bane of the development of the micro and SMEs is access to finance, adding "I therefore see this partnership as key to providing a lot more access to funds for our micro and SMEs".

The Managing Director of Barclays Ghana, Mrs.Margaret Mwanakatwe, noted that mobilization of rural savings has been one of the key challenges facing the finance sector, adding that credit unions are best placed to perform that function.

She said it was as for this reason that Barclays introduced the Micro banking policy to work with and through financial intermediaries to bring banking services and product to the doorstep of most petty traders and market women.

"Since February when we begun working with Susu Collectors in Accra and Kumasi, we have mobilized ¢18 billion in deposits and given out ¢1.5 billion as loans", she added.

The Chairman of the Board of Ghana Co-Operative Associations, Robert Ngissah, said credit unions exist not completely for profit but to provide a safe, convenient place for members to save money and get loans and other financial services at affordable rates.

Pensions Service Company Takes Off

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 13 November 2006 (Page 3)

PREMIER Pensions Administration Company, a services company for pension plans, has been inaugurated in Accra.

Founded in September, Premier, as it is called, is a private company expected to provide third party administration services, pension trustee services and software development for pensions systems under the pensions reforms.

Inaugurating it, the chairman of the Pension Reform Implementation Committee, T. A. Bediako, urged companies and Ghanaians to brace themselves to meet the challenges and capitalise on opportunities offered by the pension reforms.

"With the pension reforms taking place in Ghana, I believe that many companies will be seeking to establish, redesign or refine their pension schemes," he said.

Mr Bediako pointed out that as result of the reforms, a growing number of organisations would be outsourcing the administration of their pension plans to specialists in the field.

That the demand on a pensions administration have become greater with the ever-increasing complexity of legislation, higher member expectations and greater trustee responsibilities, he said.

He said that pension has become a topical issue in Ghana in recent times because of its implications for life after retirement.

He recalled that it was as a result of agitations and protests by organised labour that government set up a Presidential Commission on pension which also recommended, among other things, a new three-tier pension structure.

Mr Bediako said the committee to implement the recommendation is currently preparing hard toward the implementation of the reforms.

"The committee will facilitate, among other things, the drafting of a new pension reform bill that will give legal backing to all the recommendations requiring the passage of laws," he said.

The Chairman of Premier Pensions Administration Company, Yaw Berkoh Nketia, said the company would provide reliable, customer focused and cost effective pension administration and trustee services that would generate maximum returns for all its stakeholders.