Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu
Showdown between the management of Raybow Hotel in Tarkoradi and officials of Nigeria Football Association over non-payment of hotel bills for extra people is looming.
The Nigerians’ list exceeded the mandated list of 23 players and seven officials from each participating country, but they failed to pay the difference after promising to do so.
Hotel officials were expected to throw out the Nigerians last night after they reneged on their part of the contract.
The management told the Daily Graphic that the Nigerians had anticipated their elimination from the competition and had planned to sneak out after the final group match against Benin, but after their surprise qualification, the ‘excess’ officials are now in a dilemma.
A source told the Daily Graphic a Nigerian minister had phoned the management of the hotel pledging to pay the bills.
The team, runners-up in Group B after Cote d’Ivoire, are expected in Accra later today to prepare for their quarter-final clash against Ghana.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
TAIWO RELISHES ANOTHER GHANA-NIGERIA CLASH ... (G/S Page 7)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
Super Eagles star defender, Taye Taiwo, is relishing another Nations Cup encounter against Ghana as they prepare for their crucial game with Mali today.
The Olympic Marseille regular defender told the Graphic Sports last Wednesday that an encounter with Ghana would be a dream clash that he could not afford to miss.
Two years ago, it was Taiwo whose thunderbolt at close range ensured a 1-0 win for the Nigerians against Ghana in the last Nations Cup in Egypt .
Unfortunately, the strong running defender was key in the Nigerian team that bowed ignobly to the Black Stars at a London friendly which the Eagles lost 1-4.
Taiwo’s fervent prayer is that Ghana continues to make progress in the competition to increase the opportunity of the two teams squaring up in the ongoing Ghana 2008 tournament.
“I pray that both Nigeria and Ghana continue to progress in the competition so that we meet at a point in the competition. I can tell you that everybody in the Nigerian team is poised to avenge that 4-1 defeat,” he said.
It is against this background that Taiwo is looking ahead for positive results in a crucial Group B game at Essipon today.
Taiwo rued the failure of his team to translate into glory their opening game against Cote d'Ivoire 's Elephants, but was confident of their future in the tournament, stressing: “football is a game, but to us this Friday is different and should be a must for the team.”
“We must do it for our country by beating Mali,” Taiwo said.
Super Eagles star defender, Taye Taiwo, is relishing another Nations Cup encounter against Ghana as they prepare for their crucial game with Mali today.
The Olympic Marseille regular defender told the Graphic Sports last Wednesday that an encounter with Ghana would be a dream clash that he could not afford to miss.
Two years ago, it was Taiwo whose thunderbolt at close range ensured a 1-0 win for the Nigerians against Ghana in the last Nations Cup in Egypt .
Unfortunately, the strong running defender was key in the Nigerian team that bowed ignobly to the Black Stars at a London friendly which the Eagles lost 1-4.
Taiwo’s fervent prayer is that Ghana continues to make progress in the competition to increase the opportunity of the two teams squaring up in the ongoing Ghana 2008 tournament.
“I pray that both Nigeria and Ghana continue to progress in the competition so that we meet at a point in the competition. I can tell you that everybody in the Nigerian team is poised to avenge that 4-1 defeat,” he said.
It is against this background that Taiwo is looking ahead for positive results in a crucial Group B game at Essipon today.
Taiwo rued the failure of his team to translate into glory their opening game against Cote d'Ivoire 's Elephants, but was confident of their future in the tournament, stressing: “football is a game, but to us this Friday is different and should be a must for the team.”
“We must do it for our country by beating Mali,” Taiwo said.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
20-MIN BLACKOUT AT ESSIPON (Back Page)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
The Essipon Stadium experienced a 20-minute blackout yesterday, forcing a late kick-off to the second group B match between Mali and Benin Republic.
The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was inspecting the two teams when the lights went off, necessitating the ceremony to be suspended.
Minutes later the panic lights started to blink, guiding fans in the stands, but it took a little while for the floodlight to beam.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) had assured the public it would rely on generators rather than hydro electric power due to its unreliability. However, it failed to keep its word.
About a month ago when the Baba Yara Stadium was being inaugurated, the entire stadium went dead, compelling the LOC to allow premier league matches to be played at the stadium then on to test the reliability of the lighting system.
But that would only be known today when defending champions, Egypt, take on Cameroun while The Sudan face Zambia.
A similar incident happened during the final of the African Under-17 football championship between host Togo and Nigeria at the Kegue Stadium in Lome, Togo, and in Nigeria in 2000 when that country co-hosted the Nations Cup with Ghana.
• The match in Sekondi ended one goal to nil in favour of Mali. Frederick Kanoute scored the lone goal through a second half penalty.
The Essipon Stadium experienced a 20-minute blackout yesterday, forcing a late kick-off to the second group B match between Mali and Benin Republic.
The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was inspecting the two teams when the lights went off, necessitating the ceremony to be suspended.
Minutes later the panic lights started to blink, guiding fans in the stands, but it took a little while for the floodlight to beam.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) had assured the public it would rely on generators rather than hydro electric power due to its unreliability. However, it failed to keep its word.
About a month ago when the Baba Yara Stadium was being inaugurated, the entire stadium went dead, compelling the LOC to allow premier league matches to be played at the stadium then on to test the reliability of the lighting system.
But that would only be known today when defending champions, Egypt, take on Cameroun while The Sudan face Zambia.
A similar incident happened during the final of the African Under-17 football championship between host Togo and Nigeria at the Kegue Stadium in Lome, Togo, and in Nigeria in 2000 when that country co-hosted the Nations Cup with Ghana.
• The match in Sekondi ended one goal to nil in favour of Mali. Frederick Kanoute scored the lone goal through a second half penalty.
Monday, January 21, 2008
COCOA TRUCKS IN TAKORADI RELOCATED TO APOWA (Page 26)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
A team of police officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, led by its regional MTTU commander, has successfully relocated cocoa trucks which had parked dangerously on the streets and corners of streets in the metropolis.
The new location is Apowa in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, which is about seven kilometres from Takoradi.
With the new arrangement, any truck driver who refuses to park at the new place would not have his goods offloaded.
Even though the new park is still under construction, it has basic facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and a resting place. Construction of new dormitories is ongoing.
According to the Regional MTTU Commander, Mr E. Adusa-Poku, who took the Daily Graphic on a tour of the metropolis, the drivers would be provided with new ID cards which would be inspected at the entry points before they were allowed to enter the centre.
“We had initial problems telling the drivers to go to the port to register before driving back to Apowa to park, but we have a special arrangement for those who issue the cards to move to the terminal, and it is working perfectly,” he said.
Now, he said, no truck carting cocoa from the hinterland could enter the area without the entry card and if any truck entered town, it meant it was its turn to offload its goods.
He said the move would not only bring sanity on the roads but also a sigh of relief to other road users in the metropolis and first-time visitors to the metropolis.
The MTTU commander used the opportunity to advise truck drivers not to abuse the system as the focus was to ensure that the roads become safe for other road users.
Some of the truck drivers, who spoke to the Daily Graphic ,said the move to relocate them was in the right direction, even though initially the drivers would face difficulties.
They accused those registering the vehicles of giving preferential treatment to some drivers. “You come before them, but before you realise they have had their goods offloaded and you would have to wait for a long time, but it is supposed to be on a first come, first served basis,” one driver explained.
A team of police officers from the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, led by its regional MTTU commander, has successfully relocated cocoa trucks which had parked dangerously on the streets and corners of streets in the metropolis.
The new location is Apowa in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, which is about seven kilometres from Takoradi.
With the new arrangement, any truck driver who refuses to park at the new place would not have his goods offloaded.
Even though the new park is still under construction, it has basic facilities such as toilets, bathrooms and a resting place. Construction of new dormitories is ongoing.
According to the Regional MTTU Commander, Mr E. Adusa-Poku, who took the Daily Graphic on a tour of the metropolis, the drivers would be provided with new ID cards which would be inspected at the entry points before they were allowed to enter the centre.
“We had initial problems telling the drivers to go to the port to register before driving back to Apowa to park, but we have a special arrangement for those who issue the cards to move to the terminal, and it is working perfectly,” he said.
Now, he said, no truck carting cocoa from the hinterland could enter the area without the entry card and if any truck entered town, it meant it was its turn to offload its goods.
He said the move would not only bring sanity on the roads but also a sigh of relief to other road users in the metropolis and first-time visitors to the metropolis.
The MTTU commander used the opportunity to advise truck drivers not to abuse the system as the focus was to ensure that the roads become safe for other road users.
Some of the truck drivers, who spoke to the Daily Graphic ,said the move to relocate them was in the right direction, even though initially the drivers would face difficulties.
They accused those registering the vehicles of giving preferential treatment to some drivers. “You come before them, but before you realise they have had their goods offloaded and you would have to wait for a long time, but it is supposed to be on a first come, first served basis,” one driver explained.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
RESPECT COMMUNITY PROTECTION UNIT PERSONNEL (Page 30)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
THERE is no doubt that the introduction of the Community Protection Unit, under the National Youth Employment Programme in the country, has come to support the already understaffed Ghana Police Service.
Personnel of this unit, however, need to be accorded the needed respect, and the efforts of those in the various communities were appreciated, instead of intimidating them as has become the norm more than the exception .
A close observation of most of the personnel of this unit reveals that they have a very high sense of duty, but members of the public, especially commercial drivers, often tend to dampen their morals.
In the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, for instance, those attached to the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service are doing very well, but motorists are always ridiculing them.
Their job at traffic lights, roundabouts, zebra crossings, among others, is to ensure that there is some level of sanity on the road, but motorists always ignore the personnel’s instructions, and sometimes insult them.
The big question is, if we refuse to accord these hard working young men the respect they deserve, considering what they are paid and the delays associated with the release of funds to pay them, yet they persevere in the performance of their duties.
With the Ghana 2008 tournament just a few days away, there is so much pressure on the Police Service, which has the responsibility for providing security, taking care of other traffic duties on the road as well as attending to emergencies throughout the period and even beyond.
The introduction of the community police could not have been more appropriate than now as the personnel have already been positioned at traffic intersections from 6am to 6pm, while the police focus on other duties that will help promote sanity in society.
On a few occasions, however, taxi drivers have run into the bumper of my vehicle when I stop at zebra crossings in the metropolis for schoolchildren or other members of the public to cross.
But with the introduction of the programme, the personnel have been positioned at vantage points to check the indiscipline on the part of motorists.
I see their work at the traffic lights and at zebra crossings to be very important, because during my recent visit to Washington DC, I observed that even though there were no ‘light offs’, some people dressed in blue shirts and caps and holding whistles could be seen in the middle of the road ensuring that the rights of the pedestrians were guaranteed.
The introduction of the community police and postionining of the personnel at such places, to me, is a very laudable idea, and the personnel must be accorded the needed respect and motivation to enable them to contribute their quota in ensuring safety on the road and the general development of the country.
One can conveniently describe personnel of the Community Protection Unity as indomitable patriots.
Recently, I was caught up in traffic on the West Tanokrom-Airport roundabout in Takoradi, and when I finally got to the filling station near the roundabout, I observed that the only cause of the traffic was that some taxi and trotro drivers had turned part of the road into a parking lot and were picking up passengers.
Even though there were about four community policemen at the spot, the drivers never paid heed to any instructions given.
When I tried to find out why the drivers were ignoring the community police officers, one of the young community police looked at me in desperation.
“Master, we are tired of them. What haven’t we told them? They just don’t care. Therefore, all we have to do is to direct people like you in order that you do not have your vehicles damaged.”
He complained that even though they reported the indiscipline of the drivers to the police, nothing was done about it .
Investigations by the Daily Graphic revealed that many of such vehicles, especially taxis were owned by police officers and, therefore, reporting their drivers to the police amounted to reporting trouble to the troublemaker and nothing will come out of it.
The mere fact that some taxi drivers are driving vehicles owned by police officers makes them lawless, and thus ignore everybody, ignoring the safety on the road. Therefore, it would be very important to advise all police officers to also instruct their driver employees to obey traffic regulations.
THERE is no doubt that the introduction of the Community Protection Unit, under the National Youth Employment Programme in the country, has come to support the already understaffed Ghana Police Service.
Personnel of this unit, however, need to be accorded the needed respect, and the efforts of those in the various communities were appreciated, instead of intimidating them as has become the norm more than the exception .
A close observation of most of the personnel of this unit reveals that they have a very high sense of duty, but members of the public, especially commercial drivers, often tend to dampen their morals.
In the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, for instance, those attached to the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service are doing very well, but motorists are always ridiculing them.
Their job at traffic lights, roundabouts, zebra crossings, among others, is to ensure that there is some level of sanity on the road, but motorists always ignore the personnel’s instructions, and sometimes insult them.
The big question is, if we refuse to accord these hard working young men the respect they deserve, considering what they are paid and the delays associated with the release of funds to pay them, yet they persevere in the performance of their duties.
With the Ghana 2008 tournament just a few days away, there is so much pressure on the Police Service, which has the responsibility for providing security, taking care of other traffic duties on the road as well as attending to emergencies throughout the period and even beyond.
The introduction of the community police could not have been more appropriate than now as the personnel have already been positioned at traffic intersections from 6am to 6pm, while the police focus on other duties that will help promote sanity in society.
On a few occasions, however, taxi drivers have run into the bumper of my vehicle when I stop at zebra crossings in the metropolis for schoolchildren or other members of the public to cross.
But with the introduction of the programme, the personnel have been positioned at vantage points to check the indiscipline on the part of motorists.
I see their work at the traffic lights and at zebra crossings to be very important, because during my recent visit to Washington DC, I observed that even though there were no ‘light offs’, some people dressed in blue shirts and caps and holding whistles could be seen in the middle of the road ensuring that the rights of the pedestrians were guaranteed.
The introduction of the community police and postionining of the personnel at such places, to me, is a very laudable idea, and the personnel must be accorded the needed respect and motivation to enable them to contribute their quota in ensuring safety on the road and the general development of the country.
One can conveniently describe personnel of the Community Protection Unity as indomitable patriots.
Recently, I was caught up in traffic on the West Tanokrom-Airport roundabout in Takoradi, and when I finally got to the filling station near the roundabout, I observed that the only cause of the traffic was that some taxi and trotro drivers had turned part of the road into a parking lot and were picking up passengers.
Even though there were about four community policemen at the spot, the drivers never paid heed to any instructions given.
When I tried to find out why the drivers were ignoring the community police officers, one of the young community police looked at me in desperation.
“Master, we are tired of them. What haven’t we told them? They just don’t care. Therefore, all we have to do is to direct people like you in order that you do not have your vehicles damaged.”
He complained that even though they reported the indiscipline of the drivers to the police, nothing was done about it .
Investigations by the Daily Graphic revealed that many of such vehicles, especially taxis were owned by police officers and, therefore, reporting their drivers to the police amounted to reporting trouble to the troublemaker and nothing will come out of it.
The mere fact that some taxi drivers are driving vehicles owned by police officers makes them lawless, and thus ignore everybody, ignoring the safety on the road. Therefore, it would be very important to advise all police officers to also instruct their driver employees to obey traffic regulations.
Monday, January 14, 2008
FISHERMAN POISONS RIVER EBI ....Page 24
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Axim
A 36-year-old fisherman,who allegedly poisoned the only river at Enyinase in the Nzema East District in the Western Region in his quest to harvest more fish has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, Kwesi Somoah, is currently in police custody.
River Ebi which was poisoned by the suspect serves as the source of drinking water for people in seven communities in the area, according to sources close to the district assembly.
The assembly is currently supplying the communities with safe drinking water, and the people would have to wait for a very long time for the water to come back to normal before they could start drinking it.
At the moment, a large quantity of the dead fish have been collected and buried by the district assembly.
The people have also been warned not to pick any fish from the banks of River Ebi for food.
The district chief executive and other opinion leaders became alarmed since the first quarter of last year a similar incident happened at Tumatu, also in the district when residents consumed fish they had collected from the banks of the Ankobra River, resulting in the death of nine people and several others being hospitalised.
According to the acting Axim District Commander of Police, DSP Peter Ndekugrie, the suspect was helping them in their investigation. He said it was by divine intervention that nobody had consumed the fish or drunk from the river before the discovery.
He said upon hearing of the incident, he detailed his men to take a sample for laboratory analysis and warned that the people in the community be guided by what happened at Tamatu in the recent past to ensure that they did not consume dead fish.
A 36-year-old fisherman,who allegedly poisoned the only river at Enyinase in the Nzema East District in the Western Region in his quest to harvest more fish has been arrested by the police.
The suspect, Kwesi Somoah, is currently in police custody.
River Ebi which was poisoned by the suspect serves as the source of drinking water for people in seven communities in the area, according to sources close to the district assembly.
The assembly is currently supplying the communities with safe drinking water, and the people would have to wait for a very long time for the water to come back to normal before they could start drinking it.
At the moment, a large quantity of the dead fish have been collected and buried by the district assembly.
The people have also been warned not to pick any fish from the banks of River Ebi for food.
The district chief executive and other opinion leaders became alarmed since the first quarter of last year a similar incident happened at Tumatu, also in the district when residents consumed fish they had collected from the banks of the Ankobra River, resulting in the death of nine people and several others being hospitalised.
According to the acting Axim District Commander of Police, DSP Peter Ndekugrie, the suspect was helping them in their investigation. He said it was by divine intervention that nobody had consumed the fish or drunk from the river before the discovery.
He said upon hearing of the incident, he detailed his men to take a sample for laboratory analysis and warned that the people in the community be guided by what happened at Tamatu in the recent past to ensure that they did not consume dead fish.
Friday, January 11, 2008
POLICE SAVE MAN FROM LYNCHING ... (Page 29)
Story: Moses Aklorbortu, Enyinase
BUT for the timely intervention of the police, a mob at Enyinase in the Nzema East District in the Western Region would have lynched a father who was taking his sick child to the hospital, for kidnapping.
They however succeeded in beating him, together with the chief of Enyinase, Nana Antwi V, who intervened to plead with the mob to exercise restraint and rather inform the police.
The whole of Enyinase community, particularly the youth, besieged the palace of Nana Antwi and demanded the release of the man for them to mete out instant justice.
It took the police a hectic time to rescue the accused and the chief amidst stone throwing, shouting and verbal assault on the police.
The man, Mr Kwame Asong, was mistaken for a kidnapper, when he carried his own son, Master Kojo Asong, on his shoulder to the hospital at Enyinase to access health care.
Mr Asong, who looked helpless, said he could not afford the transport fare for his son and himself from his village at Nyamebekyere to Enyinase township and therefore decided to travel by foot.
Upon reaching Enyinase township, a group of young men who claimed a small boy from the community was recently found dead in a pond suspected Asong to have kidnapped his son.
Before Asong could respond to the questions posed by the youth, they pulled his son aside and pounced on him, claiming that he was a ritual murderer.
They did not give him the chance to answer any of the questions posed to him as they subjected him to beatings and marched him to the chief’s palace.
The chief said he knew the suspect and that he was a resident of Enyinase before moving to Nyamebekyere.
This response from the chief did not go down well with the mob, who also pounced on their chief and Mr Asong and subjected them to serious beating until the police came to their rescue.
The police therefore sent for the wife of Asong, who came to identify her husband and their son and said, they were not having money to take their sick son to the hospital.
The child was however sent to the hospital by the police and the family was later taken to their home at Nyamebekyere.
BUT for the timely intervention of the police, a mob at Enyinase in the Nzema East District in the Western Region would have lynched a father who was taking his sick child to the hospital, for kidnapping.
They however succeeded in beating him, together with the chief of Enyinase, Nana Antwi V, who intervened to plead with the mob to exercise restraint and rather inform the police.
The whole of Enyinase community, particularly the youth, besieged the palace of Nana Antwi and demanded the release of the man for them to mete out instant justice.
It took the police a hectic time to rescue the accused and the chief amidst stone throwing, shouting and verbal assault on the police.
The man, Mr Kwame Asong, was mistaken for a kidnapper, when he carried his own son, Master Kojo Asong, on his shoulder to the hospital at Enyinase to access health care.
Mr Asong, who looked helpless, said he could not afford the transport fare for his son and himself from his village at Nyamebekyere to Enyinase township and therefore decided to travel by foot.
Upon reaching Enyinase township, a group of young men who claimed a small boy from the community was recently found dead in a pond suspected Asong to have kidnapped his son.
Before Asong could respond to the questions posed by the youth, they pulled his son aside and pounced on him, claiming that he was a ritual murderer.
They did not give him the chance to answer any of the questions posed to him as they subjected him to beatings and marched him to the chief’s palace.
The chief said he knew the suspect and that he was a resident of Enyinase before moving to Nyamebekyere.
This response from the chief did not go down well with the mob, who also pounced on their chief and Mr Asong and subjected them to serious beating until the police came to their rescue.
The police therefore sent for the wife of Asong, who came to identify her husband and their son and said, they were not having money to take their sick son to the hospital.
The child was however sent to the hospital by the police and the family was later taken to their home at Nyamebekyere.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
ESSIPON, SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY .... (Page 21)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Essipon
There is a saying that small is beautiful and very attractive; such a pronouncement can easily be associated with Essipun, one of the host communities of Ghana 2008.
Even though the two major development projects - good road and the location of the stadium - took place at different times, it has led to the complete transformation of the town from a once rural community into a township, and now one of the most beautiful parts of the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
On the Internet, a Google search for the Essipun community would give searchers more than 700 items that have something to say or do about the town, which is now “the gate way to the Western Region”.
Even though small in size, Essipun currently has one of the best structures, a modern stadium. Due to its closeness to the main Accra-Takoradi trunk road, some estate developers rushed to acquire lands to develop into dwelling units or hospitality facilities when the construction of the stadium started.
They abandoned the idea and left after the first phase of the project because, they did not hope to see the town coming alive one day. Immediately after the construction of the road through the town, followed by the stadium, all those who had acquired land in the area returned with much verve.
Today, the story of the Essipun community would never be the same after the tournament. Those investors who have the quest to establish hotels and guest houses in the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi will now consider Essipun as their first choice before any other community.
The town is completely removed from the noise and the busy lifestyle associated with the industrial hub of the Western Regional capital. It is very interesting and refreshing to wake up naturally without any hustle to catch the bus to Sekondi or Takoradi, driving on a smooth road.
The construction of the first class road through the town has made it the shortest route to Cape Coast and Accra and most drivers who wish to avoid the traffic from West Tanorkrom until they reach the number nine traffic light make use of the Essipun route.
At present, those who are getting ready to provide one service or the other to those visitors who will patronise the Ghana 2008 are ready with the needed social amenities for the comfort of the visitors.
Through the instrumentality of the chief of the town, one of the mining companies is providing the town with modern toilet facilities to make life more comfortable for the people and those who will be vending, and might not be able to provide such facilities for their customers.
There is no doubt that the town during the tournament will provide a clear picture of what the people should expect when they enter Sekondi or Takoradi, even though Sekondi does not have much to showcase as most of its historic buildings have been left at the mercy of the weather.
Mali, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivore and Benin are all within West Africa and we share many things in common, therefore, it would have been an added advantage for us to still have the building of the first West African Bank, the various historical buildings, forts and castles in the region rehabilitated, with the stories to tell the people when they come but we would be losing out in that area.
There is a saying that small is beautiful and very attractive; such a pronouncement can easily be associated with Essipun, one of the host communities of Ghana 2008.
Even though the two major development projects - good road and the location of the stadium - took place at different times, it has led to the complete transformation of the town from a once rural community into a township, and now one of the most beautiful parts of the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
On the Internet, a Google search for the Essipun community would give searchers more than 700 items that have something to say or do about the town, which is now “the gate way to the Western Region”.
Even though small in size, Essipun currently has one of the best structures, a modern stadium. Due to its closeness to the main Accra-Takoradi trunk road, some estate developers rushed to acquire lands to develop into dwelling units or hospitality facilities when the construction of the stadium started.
They abandoned the idea and left after the first phase of the project because, they did not hope to see the town coming alive one day. Immediately after the construction of the road through the town, followed by the stadium, all those who had acquired land in the area returned with much verve.
Today, the story of the Essipun community would never be the same after the tournament. Those investors who have the quest to establish hotels and guest houses in the Twin-City of Sekondi/Takoradi will now consider Essipun as their first choice before any other community.
The town is completely removed from the noise and the busy lifestyle associated with the industrial hub of the Western Regional capital. It is very interesting and refreshing to wake up naturally without any hustle to catch the bus to Sekondi or Takoradi, driving on a smooth road.
The construction of the first class road through the town has made it the shortest route to Cape Coast and Accra and most drivers who wish to avoid the traffic from West Tanorkrom until they reach the number nine traffic light make use of the Essipun route.
At present, those who are getting ready to provide one service or the other to those visitors who will patronise the Ghana 2008 are ready with the needed social amenities for the comfort of the visitors.
Through the instrumentality of the chief of the town, one of the mining companies is providing the town with modern toilet facilities to make life more comfortable for the people and those who will be vending, and might not be able to provide such facilities for their customers.
There is no doubt that the town during the tournament will provide a clear picture of what the people should expect when they enter Sekondi or Takoradi, even though Sekondi does not have much to showcase as most of its historic buildings have been left at the mercy of the weather.
Mali, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivore and Benin are all within West Africa and we share many things in common, therefore, it would have been an added advantage for us to still have the building of the first West African Bank, the various historical buildings, forts and castles in the region rehabilitated, with the stories to tell the people when they come but we would be losing out in that area.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
FACILITIES AT EFFIA-NKWANTA HOSPITAL INADEQUATE (Page 20)
Story: Moses Doe Aklorbortu, Takoradi
Facilities at the Effia-Nkwantah Regional Hospital would not be adequate to receive any emergency from the supporters who would be trooping cheer their nations.
The town is expected to receive more than 60,000 visitors and with little over two weeks to go, the accident and emergency unit of the regional hospital in the Western Region is still under construction.
The hospital has only 14 beds at the casualty unit, an ambulance that pays frequent visit to the workshop and a skeleton staff on duty. In short, experts are of the view that the hospital is not ready for any eventuality.
Apart from that other clinical services are located far from the present location of the casualty unit.
This means that in case of any eventuality, the unit will not be able to contain the situation.
The hospital has a basic structural defect as it was originally for military men who were being prepared for war during world wars. The structures were later converted into a hospital with the emergency unit finding itself at the base of the hospital that is situated on a high land.
When this reporter got to the hospital last Saturday, some patients who had to go for X-ray had to be carried on the back of their relatives to access the services of the X-ray technicians.
To make matters worse, the ambulance at the unit is also paying one of its frequent visits to the workshop. Therefore, those who visited the hospital had to hire a taxi to get to the X-ray department.
When the Daily Graphic toured the new building under construction, there was still much work to be done. The windows, and other fittings were still being done.
One of the things that might have escaped the contractors was that the entrance to the new unit was not thought of. The building itself was on a high terrain that in case of emergency, patients cannot be easily transported to the wards.
However, work on the construction site which is near the main administration block is progressing at a very slow pace and the contractor is doing all he can to meet the deadline but that would be determined by undisclosed factors, among them the flow of funds.
When contacted, the Regional Coordinator for Ambulance and other Emergency Services, Dr Tawiah Siameh, said he was not sure the contractor would finish before the commencement of the tournament.
According to him, there were other hospitals such as GPHA and VRA, “but to be honest with you, we have all the specialists here at Effia-Nkwanta and if we should decentralise the services to those hospitals, it means we have to be doing follow-ups.
He said the unit would be receiving more ambulances to enable it take care of any emergency cases should the need arise. “We will be receiving ambulances from Accra, Winneba, Makessim and they should be enough for the period”.
Facilities at the Effia-Nkwantah Regional Hospital would not be adequate to receive any emergency from the supporters who would be trooping cheer their nations.
The town is expected to receive more than 60,000 visitors and with little over two weeks to go, the accident and emergency unit of the regional hospital in the Western Region is still under construction.
The hospital has only 14 beds at the casualty unit, an ambulance that pays frequent visit to the workshop and a skeleton staff on duty. In short, experts are of the view that the hospital is not ready for any eventuality.
Apart from that other clinical services are located far from the present location of the casualty unit.
This means that in case of any eventuality, the unit will not be able to contain the situation.
The hospital has a basic structural defect as it was originally for military men who were being prepared for war during world wars. The structures were later converted into a hospital with the emergency unit finding itself at the base of the hospital that is situated on a high land.
When this reporter got to the hospital last Saturday, some patients who had to go for X-ray had to be carried on the back of their relatives to access the services of the X-ray technicians.
To make matters worse, the ambulance at the unit is also paying one of its frequent visits to the workshop. Therefore, those who visited the hospital had to hire a taxi to get to the X-ray department.
When the Daily Graphic toured the new building under construction, there was still much work to be done. The windows, and other fittings were still being done.
One of the things that might have escaped the contractors was that the entrance to the new unit was not thought of. The building itself was on a high terrain that in case of emergency, patients cannot be easily transported to the wards.
However, work on the construction site which is near the main administration block is progressing at a very slow pace and the contractor is doing all he can to meet the deadline but that would be determined by undisclosed factors, among them the flow of funds.
When contacted, the Regional Coordinator for Ambulance and other Emergency Services, Dr Tawiah Siameh, said he was not sure the contractor would finish before the commencement of the tournament.
According to him, there were other hospitals such as GPHA and VRA, “but to be honest with you, we have all the specialists here at Effia-Nkwanta and if we should decentralise the services to those hospitals, it means we have to be doing follow-ups.
He said the unit would be receiving more ambulances to enable it take care of any emergency cases should the need arise. “We will be receiving ambulances from Accra, Winneba, Makessim and they should be enough for the period”.
HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS CAN BE AVOIDED ... (Page 20)
Story: Moses Doe Aklorbortu, Takoradi
The congestions created in the metropolis and the frequent breakdowns, coupled with accidents and overturning of haulage trucks on highways, could be avoided if the produce buying companies decide to make use of the Ghana Railways Corporation.
Even though that would result in multiple handling of the produce it is still cheaper, safer and would bring sanity on the roads in the Western Region and ease the congestion at the cargo destination.
With this, most of the haulage trucks would not have to make the journey from the various cocoa producing areas in the region to the city centre and wait for months for their turn to off-load their cocoa beans for onward shipment.
This is because the warehouse facilities within the metropolis are woefully inadequate.
It is a fact that times have changed and there has been a geographical shift of cocoa growing areas in the region. There has been a shift to other areas where there were no rail lines to transport them to the port, therefore the best thing to do while the railways are waiting for investors to expand its lines is to engage the truckers to do the primary evacuation to where the lines are.
But information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the initial arrangement with various produce buyers was to allow the haulage trucks to cart these beans to Mansu, where the train could move them to the port.
This is because, during the design of the port, rail lines were incorporated into it where a train loaded with cocoa, timber and other exportable commodities moved straight to the port to offload its cargo.
But those in the haulage industry protested that move and said the railways would take their jobs from them, therefore a quota was given to the Ghana Railways Corporation, and after the collection of that quantity that was the end.
After collecting the given quota,the rest must be done by the haulage trucks, creating numerous social problems.
At the moment it is a fact that the railways is in serious crisis, but this reporter was reliably informed that with cocoa, the company can collect more than the quota given.
If they use the train it would ease the congestion in the city, and the inner and outer perimeters of the port.
The irony of the situation is that the trucks loaded with the cocoa do not have a place to offload their cargos therefore for months the trucks are parked on the shoulders of the roads.
The question is that if we are serious as a country to help the already collapsing railways back on its feet, why should it be given a quota to carry certain quantity at a time and the remaining to be carried by other haulage trucks, making the highways very unsafe.
That aside, the frequent usage of the haulage trucks, mostly overloaded, results in the shorter lifespan of the roads.
Those problems aside, some of the truck drivers have become the customers of our sisters in the old trade, prostitution.
The act of these young ladies from other countries and some local ones offering themselves for a fee to these truckers take place on pre-fabricated beds under their trucks.
The truckers also do not have facilities such as resting place or where to attend to nature’s call. Therefore, they defaecate all over, and everywhere under the cover of darkness.
Available information indicate that Ghana railways requested for access to carry more and they were told that they did not have the capacity to support their claim.
Realising the potential in that area, the company took the risk to invest in more facilities that would enable them to evacuate more to the port but they were later denied. Therefore, all those investments ended up not yielding any positive results.
Not long ago, it was reported that the company owed Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) more than $12,000 in workers social security and penalty.
Therefore, if there are avenues for them to bring the national asset back to its former state, why are they not given the chance to compete favourably rather than be given a quota?
We must not forget that in the early days of the country, Ghana Railways Corporation was the backbone of the country’s economy and gave birth to numerous branches such as the Ghana Water Company, and Electricity Company of Ghana.
Congestion at all street corners in the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, according to sources, was a perennial issue of which those in charge were not ready to find solutions.
Many accidents on the road could be largely attributed to the frequent use of articulated trucks to cart cocoa, timber and others to the port.
Not long ago, about 98 children nearly lost their lives when the bus on which they were travelling was crossed by an articulated truck.
The sad aspect to the behaviour of these truckers is that they do not care about other road users, sometimes their trucks develope faults and they just leave them unattended to for many hours,and without enough signals to warn other road users.
The congestions created in the metropolis and the frequent breakdowns, coupled with accidents and overturning of haulage trucks on highways, could be avoided if the produce buying companies decide to make use of the Ghana Railways Corporation.
Even though that would result in multiple handling of the produce it is still cheaper, safer and would bring sanity on the roads in the Western Region and ease the congestion at the cargo destination.
With this, most of the haulage trucks would not have to make the journey from the various cocoa producing areas in the region to the city centre and wait for months for their turn to off-load their cocoa beans for onward shipment.
This is because the warehouse facilities within the metropolis are woefully inadequate.
It is a fact that times have changed and there has been a geographical shift of cocoa growing areas in the region. There has been a shift to other areas where there were no rail lines to transport them to the port, therefore the best thing to do while the railways are waiting for investors to expand its lines is to engage the truckers to do the primary evacuation to where the lines are.
But information available to the Daily Graphic indicates that the initial arrangement with various produce buyers was to allow the haulage trucks to cart these beans to Mansu, where the train could move them to the port.
This is because, during the design of the port, rail lines were incorporated into it where a train loaded with cocoa, timber and other exportable commodities moved straight to the port to offload its cargo.
But those in the haulage industry protested that move and said the railways would take their jobs from them, therefore a quota was given to the Ghana Railways Corporation, and after the collection of that quantity that was the end.
After collecting the given quota,the rest must be done by the haulage trucks, creating numerous social problems.
At the moment it is a fact that the railways is in serious crisis, but this reporter was reliably informed that with cocoa, the company can collect more than the quota given.
If they use the train it would ease the congestion in the city, and the inner and outer perimeters of the port.
The irony of the situation is that the trucks loaded with the cocoa do not have a place to offload their cargos therefore for months the trucks are parked on the shoulders of the roads.
The question is that if we are serious as a country to help the already collapsing railways back on its feet, why should it be given a quota to carry certain quantity at a time and the remaining to be carried by other haulage trucks, making the highways very unsafe.
That aside, the frequent usage of the haulage trucks, mostly overloaded, results in the shorter lifespan of the roads.
Those problems aside, some of the truck drivers have become the customers of our sisters in the old trade, prostitution.
The act of these young ladies from other countries and some local ones offering themselves for a fee to these truckers take place on pre-fabricated beds under their trucks.
The truckers also do not have facilities such as resting place or where to attend to nature’s call. Therefore, they defaecate all over, and everywhere under the cover of darkness.
Available information indicate that Ghana railways requested for access to carry more and they were told that they did not have the capacity to support their claim.
Realising the potential in that area, the company took the risk to invest in more facilities that would enable them to evacuate more to the port but they were later denied. Therefore, all those investments ended up not yielding any positive results.
Not long ago, it was reported that the company owed Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) more than $12,000 in workers social security and penalty.
Therefore, if there are avenues for them to bring the national asset back to its former state, why are they not given the chance to compete favourably rather than be given a quota?
We must not forget that in the early days of the country, Ghana Railways Corporation was the backbone of the country’s economy and gave birth to numerous branches such as the Ghana Water Company, and Electricity Company of Ghana.
Congestion at all street corners in the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, according to sources, was a perennial issue of which those in charge were not ready to find solutions.
Many accidents on the road could be largely attributed to the frequent use of articulated trucks to cart cocoa, timber and others to the port.
Not long ago, about 98 children nearly lost their lives when the bus on which they were travelling was crossed by an articulated truck.
The sad aspect to the behaviour of these truckers is that they do not care about other road users, sometimes their trucks develope faults and they just leave them unattended to for many hours,and without enough signals to warn other road users.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS TO BENEFIT FROM PACKAGES (Page 23)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
Importers, exporters and those involved in small and medium scale businesses in the Western Region are to benefit from
various packages being introduced by the International Commercial Bank (ICB).
The Managing Director of the bank, Mr L.K. Ganapathiraman, who announced this at the launch of the 11th branch in the Western Region, said the bank’s products in the areas of traditional, specialised banking products, import loan, among others, would go a long way to bring relief to its existing and prospective clients.
He said customers in today’s business had become very sophisticated, adding that there was the need to ensure that every product that was being offered was of value.
He said the branches of the bank were all networked to ensure that customers transacted business at every branch of the bank across the country.
Mr Ganapathiraman said apart from the commercial banking services, the bank had also introduced easy import loan for those who were already in trade related areas and needed funds to clear their goods at the ports.
He said the bank was aware of the kind of problems importers went through in their quest to secure funds to clear their goods from the ports.
“This facility is geared towards lifting the burden of customers paying demurrages for their imports which could have been avoided if they have easy access to funds,” he said.
In his remark, the second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, said with the passage of the Credit Reporting Act, the Bank of Ghana expected to license the first credit reference bureaux by the first quarter of 2008.
Dr Bawunia commended the ICB for its quest to reach out to other parts of the country, and added that the opening of the new branch was timely.
Importers, exporters and those involved in small and medium scale businesses in the Western Region are to benefit from
various packages being introduced by the International Commercial Bank (ICB).
The Managing Director of the bank, Mr L.K. Ganapathiraman, who announced this at the launch of the 11th branch in the Western Region, said the bank’s products in the areas of traditional, specialised banking products, import loan, among others, would go a long way to bring relief to its existing and prospective clients.
He said customers in today’s business had become very sophisticated, adding that there was the need to ensure that every product that was being offered was of value.
He said the branches of the bank were all networked to ensure that customers transacted business at every branch of the bank across the country.
Mr Ganapathiraman said apart from the commercial banking services, the bank had also introduced easy import loan for those who were already in trade related areas and needed funds to clear their goods at the ports.
He said the bank was aware of the kind of problems importers went through in their quest to secure funds to clear their goods from the ports.
“This facility is geared towards lifting the burden of customers paying demurrages for their imports which could have been avoided if they have easy access to funds,” he said.
In his remark, the second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, said with the passage of the Credit Reporting Act, the Bank of Ghana expected to license the first credit reference bureaux by the first quarter of 2008.
Dr Bawunia commended the ICB for its quest to reach out to other parts of the country, and added that the opening of the new branch was timely.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
SEKONDI-TAKORADI DRIVERS NEED ORIENTATION (Page 29)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
First time visitors to the Western countries such as America, Europe and other developed economies who cannot make it to their destinations by themselves only have to give addresses to the taxi drivers or shuttle service providers and they are safe.
The taxi drivers in those countries would drive their customers to the correct addresses and ensure that the address given to them is right even before they bring the visitors’ luggage out of the vehicle.
They would even offer visitors their mobile phones to call their hosts to redirect the drivers when they cannot not locate an address.
The story is however different here in Ghana, especially the Shama Ahanta East Metropolis. When one picks a taxi, the passenger has to be directing the driver to his or her destination. Some of the drivers might know the address very well but would pretend not to know and take the passenger on a useless merry go round just to exact exorbitant fares from unsuspecting passengers.
Many taxi drivers are familiar with some areas like the Airport Ridge, Anaji, Sekondi, STC, Beach Road and others in the metropolis, but they cannot send passengers to the specific addresses without the help of the passenger.
In some cases, the drivers would stop and tell the passengers that they would not go further because the road is either not in good shape or they have to renegotiate the fare.
All these come about as a result of lack of proper numbering of houses of residence and corporate buildings in the metropolis.
The fear is that the Twin City of Sekondi/Takoradi, which is one of the host cities for the Ghana 2008, where more than 60,000 visitors are expected to cheer their respective countries, would take a very negative impression of the twin city away if taxi drivers behave the way they treat their passengers. This is because most of the foreigners may have difficulty locating their places of residence before and after matches.
What makes the problem quite serious is that hotel accommodation in the metropolis is inadequate which means that most of the fans will have to find alternative places or hostels in the metropolis.
Another problem is that since most of the visitors booked their hotels by phone or on the Internet with their credit cards, to find their way to the facilities and check in would pose problems.
The only popular place in the city which can be classified as a proper meeting point is the InterCity/STC Coaches Limited yard where upon arrival, the visitors could pick taxis to wherever they would want to lodge within the metropolis, and that is where the problem with taxi drivers arises. When this reporter interacted with some taxi drivers at the InterCity-STC yard most of them gave conflicting responses.
If they cannot give simple answers or do not know various hotels and important tourist sites within the metropolis, what would be the fate of those who are visiting the town for the first time to witness the big game? Things might not be so bad for the Ivorians since the region shares borders with them, but those from other countries would not be so lucky.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer for Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, Mr John Laste, said the assembly had received GH¢200,000 for work on the first phase of various projects in the metropolis.
“Under the first phase of the project we would be doing street naming and directional signs as well as printing of maps to guide the teeming supporters from the four nations to enable them to move freely to any part of the region,” he said.
He said there were moves to ensure that visitors to the metropolis for the big tournament would not be stranded because they could not make their way back to their residences.
“We are not saying that with the street naming coupled with the directions, people would not be be missing the way to their places of residence; at least it will make things easier for them,” he said.
He said the assembly had selected more than 500 names of prominent members of society who would be stationed at vantage points with maps of the city to facilitate the movement of the visitors.
The PRO said some of the areas that would be covered would include the junction from Sekondi College through Essipun and Sekondi to the boundaries of the adjoining districts.
He said work on the project had reached an advanced stage, and expressed the hope that it would be completed far ahead of the commencement of the tournament to enable residents and commercial drivers, especially taxi drivers, to get used to them before the visitors started trooping in.
These measures not withstanding, one might expect the various transport unions and the Ghana Tourist Board to collaborate and organise orientation workshops for the taxi drivers in particular and other commercial drivers generally to help reduce any embarrassment the conduct of drivers could bring to the nation.
First time visitors to the Western countries such as America, Europe and other developed economies who cannot make it to their destinations by themselves only have to give addresses to the taxi drivers or shuttle service providers and they are safe.
The taxi drivers in those countries would drive their customers to the correct addresses and ensure that the address given to them is right even before they bring the visitors’ luggage out of the vehicle.
They would even offer visitors their mobile phones to call their hosts to redirect the drivers when they cannot not locate an address.
The story is however different here in Ghana, especially the Shama Ahanta East Metropolis. When one picks a taxi, the passenger has to be directing the driver to his or her destination. Some of the drivers might know the address very well but would pretend not to know and take the passenger on a useless merry go round just to exact exorbitant fares from unsuspecting passengers.
Many taxi drivers are familiar with some areas like the Airport Ridge, Anaji, Sekondi, STC, Beach Road and others in the metropolis, but they cannot send passengers to the specific addresses without the help of the passenger.
In some cases, the drivers would stop and tell the passengers that they would not go further because the road is either not in good shape or they have to renegotiate the fare.
All these come about as a result of lack of proper numbering of houses of residence and corporate buildings in the metropolis.
The fear is that the Twin City of Sekondi/Takoradi, which is one of the host cities for the Ghana 2008, where more than 60,000 visitors are expected to cheer their respective countries, would take a very negative impression of the twin city away if taxi drivers behave the way they treat their passengers. This is because most of the foreigners may have difficulty locating their places of residence before and after matches.
What makes the problem quite serious is that hotel accommodation in the metropolis is inadequate which means that most of the fans will have to find alternative places or hostels in the metropolis.
Another problem is that since most of the visitors booked their hotels by phone or on the Internet with their credit cards, to find their way to the facilities and check in would pose problems.
The only popular place in the city which can be classified as a proper meeting point is the InterCity/STC Coaches Limited yard where upon arrival, the visitors could pick taxis to wherever they would want to lodge within the metropolis, and that is where the problem with taxi drivers arises. When this reporter interacted with some taxi drivers at the InterCity-STC yard most of them gave conflicting responses.
If they cannot give simple answers or do not know various hotels and important tourist sites within the metropolis, what would be the fate of those who are visiting the town for the first time to witness the big game? Things might not be so bad for the Ivorians since the region shares borders with them, but those from other countries would not be so lucky.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer for Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, Mr John Laste, said the assembly had received GH¢200,000 for work on the first phase of various projects in the metropolis.
“Under the first phase of the project we would be doing street naming and directional signs as well as printing of maps to guide the teeming supporters from the four nations to enable them to move freely to any part of the region,” he said.
He said there were moves to ensure that visitors to the metropolis for the big tournament would not be stranded because they could not make their way back to their residences.
“We are not saying that with the street naming coupled with the directions, people would not be be missing the way to their places of residence; at least it will make things easier for them,” he said.
He said the assembly had selected more than 500 names of prominent members of society who would be stationed at vantage points with maps of the city to facilitate the movement of the visitors.
The PRO said some of the areas that would be covered would include the junction from Sekondi College through Essipun and Sekondi to the boundaries of the adjoining districts.
He said work on the project had reached an advanced stage, and expressed the hope that it would be completed far ahead of the commencement of the tournament to enable residents and commercial drivers, especially taxi drivers, to get used to them before the visitors started trooping in.
These measures not withstanding, one might expect the various transport unions and the Ghana Tourist Board to collaborate and organise orientation workshops for the taxi drivers in particular and other commercial drivers generally to help reduce any embarrassment the conduct of drivers could bring to the nation.
BEGIN YEAR WITHOUT PROBLEMS (Page 29)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
THE Vicar-General of the Orthodox Anglican Church of Ghana, the Very Reverend Dr Jacob A. Welbourne, has called on all to begin the year 2008 devoid of problems.
He said the year 2007 was a tragic one for many in the country and in other parts of the world as many were caught up in the misery of war, assassination, flood and poverty.
Here in Ghana, the Vicar-General said there was a devastating flood in the northern parts of the country, which affected crops and also claimed many lives, an incident that is still fresh in the minds of victims and Ghanaians.
This was contained in his New Year message to the country.
The Vicar-General said those occurrences called for a new beginning, peaceful co-existence, tolerance and brotherliness to ensure the development of the country and the world at large.
“We can start the new year, 2008 by following St Paul’s two principles of new life of forgetting the past and reaching forth unto those things which are before us,” he said.
The Very Rev. Welboune reminded Christians that “as each day of the New Year unfolds, we must also be people of peace in our thoughts, words, and deeds, beginning with the family and continuing in the workplace, school, our neighbourhoods, the church and country as a whole.
As human beings, we might not be the same, some human beings could indeed be illogical, unrealistic, and self-centred, but you must show them love all the same,” he said.
He used the opportunity to urge Ghanaians to mark the new year with an inner urge to pursue the truth till it was captured and made to work.
He also urged all to concern themselves deeply with the needs of all men, communicate and share each other’s affection and to be tolerant.
THE Vicar-General of the Orthodox Anglican Church of Ghana, the Very Reverend Dr Jacob A. Welbourne, has called on all to begin the year 2008 devoid of problems.
He said the year 2007 was a tragic one for many in the country and in other parts of the world as many were caught up in the misery of war, assassination, flood and poverty.
Here in Ghana, the Vicar-General said there was a devastating flood in the northern parts of the country, which affected crops and also claimed many lives, an incident that is still fresh in the minds of victims and Ghanaians.
This was contained in his New Year message to the country.
The Vicar-General said those occurrences called for a new beginning, peaceful co-existence, tolerance and brotherliness to ensure the development of the country and the world at large.
“We can start the new year, 2008 by following St Paul’s two principles of new life of forgetting the past and reaching forth unto those things which are before us,” he said.
The Very Rev. Welboune reminded Christians that “as each day of the New Year unfolds, we must also be people of peace in our thoughts, words, and deeds, beginning with the family and continuing in the workplace, school, our neighbourhoods, the church and country as a whole.
As human beings, we might not be the same, some human beings could indeed be illogical, unrealistic, and self-centred, but you must show them love all the same,” he said.
He used the opportunity to urge Ghanaians to mark the new year with an inner urge to pursue the truth till it was captured and made to work.
He also urged all to concern themselves deeply with the needs of all men, communicate and share each other’s affection and to be tolerant.
LANDLORDS, CORPORATE BODIES TOLD TO PAINT BUILDINGS (Page 29)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Takoradi
THE Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly has warned that landlords and corporate institutions who failed to paint their structures before the end of the first week of January would be prosecuted.
It said the landlords and corporate entities had ignored their property, making the once beautiful buildings very ugly objects now, which had destroyed the beauty of the metropolis.
The Public Relations Manager of the assembly, Mr John Laste, said someone might ask what the business of the assembly was in asking landlords and corporate entities to paint their buildings, “but the answer is if you have built a house and you fail to paint it, it is the business of the assembly, because by law, you should paint your building every five years, but some of the houses have not seen paint for more than a decade and a half”.
“We at the assembly cannot go round painting people’s houses for them just because we want the capital to look nice, it is our responsibility to ensure that the laws are enforced and people comply with them,” he said.
Mr Laste further expressed worry that some members of the business community had left their buildings very dirty, and one wondered if they were still in operation.
“Their focus is more on how much they can make than the upkeep of the environment in which they were working,“ he said.
According to him, the assembly had no option than to prosecute those who violated the bye-laws by the end the first week in January, 2008 after several notices to them to have their houses painted.
When the Daily Graphic sought the views of some landlords on the bye-laws and what they were doing about the ultimatum, some said they were aware of the notices, but they did not have the money to buy paint for the buildings.
Others, however, were of the view that the houses were family property and, therefore, it was difficult for them to take sole responsibility for its maintenance.
To them, if the assembly could enter into agreement with companies that dealt in paint to reduce the prices of their products for that period, they would procure some and paint the houses.
THE Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly has warned that landlords and corporate institutions who failed to paint their structures before the end of the first week of January would be prosecuted.
It said the landlords and corporate entities had ignored their property, making the once beautiful buildings very ugly objects now, which had destroyed the beauty of the metropolis.
The Public Relations Manager of the assembly, Mr John Laste, said someone might ask what the business of the assembly was in asking landlords and corporate entities to paint their buildings, “but the answer is if you have built a house and you fail to paint it, it is the business of the assembly, because by law, you should paint your building every five years, but some of the houses have not seen paint for more than a decade and a half”.
“We at the assembly cannot go round painting people’s houses for them just because we want the capital to look nice, it is our responsibility to ensure that the laws are enforced and people comply with them,” he said.
Mr Laste further expressed worry that some members of the business community had left their buildings very dirty, and one wondered if they were still in operation.
“Their focus is more on how much they can make than the upkeep of the environment in which they were working,“ he said.
According to him, the assembly had no option than to prosecute those who violated the bye-laws by the end the first week in January, 2008 after several notices to them to have their houses painted.
When the Daily Graphic sought the views of some landlords on the bye-laws and what they were doing about the ultimatum, some said they were aware of the notices, but they did not have the money to buy paint for the buildings.
Others, however, were of the view that the houses were family property and, therefore, it was difficult for them to take sole responsibility for its maintenance.
To them, if the assembly could enter into agreement with companies that dealt in paint to reduce the prices of their products for that period, they would procure some and paint the houses.
RAYBOW HOTEL GETS SET FOR GHANA 2008 (Page 29)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
RAYBOW Hotel, one of the hotels selected in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi that will accommodate one of the teams that will take part in the Ghana 2008 tournament next month, has completed its expansion works with enhanced facilities.
The hotel, apart from creating a congenial environment for the players and officials of the visiting team, is also constructing a food court, where the teeming supporters from various countries, especially Nigeria will purchase meals, comparable to what they have in their home countries.
According to the Manager of the hotel, Mr Anthony K. Addiaba, the hotel had taken proactive measures to ensure that they were not overtaken be events.
“We are aware of the fact that our contribution to the success of the hosting of the programme goes beyond the Ghana 2008 tournament, and we are bent on creating a lasting impression that will make the visitors wanting to visit the metropolis again.”
He said the hotel currently had three well-equipped restaurants, a pool, a secured car park and world class hotel rooms to provide every visitor to the metropolis who might find his way to the hotel every comfort he/she deserved.
Mr Addiaba said the management of the hotel was also aware of the fact that the four nations would not be playing throughout the period, and, therefore, the hotel had introduced shuttle services for those who might like to visit various places of interest in the region.
“We are coming out with comprehensive brochures that will be of interest to the people who will be residing here at Raybow,” he said.
He said apart from what might interest the guests, the hotel had also revamped its happy hour every Friday where drinks were sold at a reduced prices.
“We have also introduced entertainment packages such as the resident jazz band and other good musicals that will make the visitors feel at home, ” he said
He said the creation of the food court was to ensure that the needs of those who frequently used the restaurants were not left out of the their normal services as the food court was part of the hotel’s dream to create a village where African foods would be served at their best to be enjoyed by all, including the visitors to the metropolis.
He said in order not to disappoint the visitors, the players and their officials, and considering the number of people who would be visiting the town, “we have created a facility that stores food to last us for the rest of the period”.
“To satisfy the taste of the customers who would troop to the food court, we have taken on board local dishes that would be much enjoyed at the food court by the supporters from the four nations which we estimated as more than 60,000.
“We at Raybow Hotel are aware that consumers have become very sophisticated and, therefore, we have created the environment where we receive feedback from our customers and give prompt response to what they are looking for,” Mr Addiaba assure.
RAYBOW Hotel, one of the hotels selected in the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi that will accommodate one of the teams that will take part in the Ghana 2008 tournament next month, has completed its expansion works with enhanced facilities.
The hotel, apart from creating a congenial environment for the players and officials of the visiting team, is also constructing a food court, where the teeming supporters from various countries, especially Nigeria will purchase meals, comparable to what they have in their home countries.
According to the Manager of the hotel, Mr Anthony K. Addiaba, the hotel had taken proactive measures to ensure that they were not overtaken be events.
“We are aware of the fact that our contribution to the success of the hosting of the programme goes beyond the Ghana 2008 tournament, and we are bent on creating a lasting impression that will make the visitors wanting to visit the metropolis again.”
He said the hotel currently had three well-equipped restaurants, a pool, a secured car park and world class hotel rooms to provide every visitor to the metropolis who might find his way to the hotel every comfort he/she deserved.
Mr Addiaba said the management of the hotel was also aware of the fact that the four nations would not be playing throughout the period, and, therefore, the hotel had introduced shuttle services for those who might like to visit various places of interest in the region.
“We are coming out with comprehensive brochures that will be of interest to the people who will be residing here at Raybow,” he said.
He said apart from what might interest the guests, the hotel had also revamped its happy hour every Friday where drinks were sold at a reduced prices.
“We have also introduced entertainment packages such as the resident jazz band and other good musicals that will make the visitors feel at home, ” he said
He said the creation of the food court was to ensure that the needs of those who frequently used the restaurants were not left out of the their normal services as the food court was part of the hotel’s dream to create a village where African foods would be served at their best to be enjoyed by all, including the visitors to the metropolis.
He said in order not to disappoint the visitors, the players and their officials, and considering the number of people who would be visiting the town, “we have created a facility that stores food to last us for the rest of the period”.
“To satisfy the taste of the customers who would troop to the food court, we have taken on board local dishes that would be much enjoyed at the food court by the supporters from the four nations which we estimated as more than 60,000.
“We at Raybow Hotel are aware that consumers have become very sophisticated and, therefore, we have created the environment where we receive feedback from our customers and give prompt response to what they are looking for,” Mr Addiaba assure.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
TRAIN RUNS OVER APPRENTICE MECHANIC (Back Page)
Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Sekondi
A 19-year-old apprentice mechanic who allegedly smoked two rolls of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp and topped it up with a quantity of “akpeteshie”, a hard liquor, has been confined to a wheelchair after mistaking rail lines at Sekondi for a sleeping place.
In his high state of intoxication, the victim, Kofi Kuma, was said to have slept on the rail lines and had his two legs and right hand chopped off by a passing train, leaving him with only the left hand.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic while on his bed at the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, Kofi Kuma made a confession that, “Master, I will not tell lies, I smoked wee, and took a lot of local gin after which I could not control myself any longer. Now this is my end.”
The accident occurred at a time wee smokers had sought refuge along the rail lines in Sekondi and Takoradi because of sustained periodic swoops by the police to clamp down on those criminals.
Police sources said so far, about four of such suspected criminals had been killed by moving trains in less than a month with an unspecified number receiving injuries.
The latest victim, Kuma, further confessed that he belonged to groups who always got together on the rail lines to smoke wee.
“That is because when we go there to smoke, the air would carry the smell away and the police and other members of the community would not notice we are smoking,” he explained.
He said he went to visit his friend at Ketan, a suburb of the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi, where they usually bought the substance.
Kuma said smoking of wee, to him, was a normal thing and he could not heed the countless sessions of counselling from his parents and others.
When contacted, however, the Managing Director of Ghana Railways Corporation, Mr Ruphus Quaye, said they had received a number of reports of accidents on the rail lines, with some of them being fatal, and due to the frequency of the reports, they instituted investigations into the matter to find out whether the victims were actually struck by the trains or were killed elsewhere and dumped on the lines.
“We have said time and again that the lines are restricted areas and the only places people can cross are at the points labelled as level crossings, but now, people have created accommodation and commercial facilities very close to the lines and are also using the lines as foot paths and a hideout for wee smokers and thieves,” he said.
A 19-year-old apprentice mechanic who allegedly smoked two rolls of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp and topped it up with a quantity of “akpeteshie”, a hard liquor, has been confined to a wheelchair after mistaking rail lines at Sekondi for a sleeping place.
In his high state of intoxication, the victim, Kofi Kuma, was said to have slept on the rail lines and had his two legs and right hand chopped off by a passing train, leaving him with only the left hand.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic while on his bed at the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, Kofi Kuma made a confession that, “Master, I will not tell lies, I smoked wee, and took a lot of local gin after which I could not control myself any longer. Now this is my end.”
The accident occurred at a time wee smokers had sought refuge along the rail lines in Sekondi and Takoradi because of sustained periodic swoops by the police to clamp down on those criminals.
Police sources said so far, about four of such suspected criminals had been killed by moving trains in less than a month with an unspecified number receiving injuries.
The latest victim, Kuma, further confessed that he belonged to groups who always got together on the rail lines to smoke wee.
“That is because when we go there to smoke, the air would carry the smell away and the police and other members of the community would not notice we are smoking,” he explained.
He said he went to visit his friend at Ketan, a suburb of the twin-city of Sekondi/Takoradi, where they usually bought the substance.
Kuma said smoking of wee, to him, was a normal thing and he could not heed the countless sessions of counselling from his parents and others.
When contacted, however, the Managing Director of Ghana Railways Corporation, Mr Ruphus Quaye, said they had received a number of reports of accidents on the rail lines, with some of them being fatal, and due to the frequency of the reports, they instituted investigations into the matter to find out whether the victims were actually struck by the trains or were killed elsewhere and dumped on the lines.
“We have said time and again that the lines are restricted areas and the only places people can cross are at the points labelled as level crossings, but now, people have created accommodation and commercial facilities very close to the lines and are also using the lines as foot paths and a hideout for wee smokers and thieves,” he said.
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