STX bounces back; local partners to pay off Korean partners

The local partners of STX Engineering and Construction Company Ghana have provided a settlement package for their Korean partners in a bid to end the wrangling that has stalled the STX housing project.

B.K. Asamoah’s G.K Airport Company Tuesday presented an undisclosed amount, meant to pay off the Koreans, to the Commercial Court hearing the STX case in Accra.

Joy News’ Sammy Darko who was in court during Tuesday’s proceedings reported that the court is set to rule on the “amicable settlement package” on 24 November 2011, which is expected to determine whether the contract involving the two partners would be terminated or not.

Even though information about the package is sketchy, it is believed that B.K. Asamoah’s G.K Airport Company will pay their Korean counterpart every money spent in the course of the partnership.

Snippets of information picked from the court indicate that if the ruling is given in favour of the local partners, the STX housing project will start early December.

G.K Airport Company has also brought in a new investor, Western Form Technology, for the project to commence smoothly.

The project is expected to provide 30,000 housing units across the country at the cost of $1.5 billion for the security agencies.

Later in an interview with Sammy Darko, Chief Executive of STX Engineering and Construction Ghana, B. K. Asamoah, apologised to President Atta Mills for the pain the internal wrangling of the partners might have caused him.

“I want to take this opportunity to first of all apologise to His Excellency the President for any embarrassment caused to him due to this back and forth with the South Koreans.”

Despite the longstanding internal strife, Mr Asamoah is confident the project would meet the deadline.

“It will not have any effect on the time-line,” he explained, “We will expand the membership of the project to engage more Ghanaians so that we can quickly deliver as we did promise.”

The project has the finances secured and technology agreed, he said.

“The issue is not governmental, it is not personal, but it is commercial in nature,” Mr Asamoah stressed.

He insisted that in spite of the fact that the partners have changed, there would not be the need to go back to the government for another approval.


From: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Isaac Essel
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201111/76518.php

Experts disagree with Catholic Bishops on SHS computerised placement

Some stakeholders in the education sector want calls by the Catholic Bishops asking the government to abolish the Computerised School Selection and Placement System to be disregarded.

According to the Minister of Education, Betty Mould-Iddrisu, calls for the abolition of the system are “premature”.

Whilst an Education Policy Analyst, Kofi Asare, thinks the calls cannot provide solutions to challenges bedeviling the system, a former Director of Ghana Education Service, Michael Nsowah says abolishing the system would worsen issues.

Leaders of the Catholic faith, at the end of a five-day conference in Takoradi issued a communiqué, calling on the government to suspend its decision to reintroduce the three-year SHS. The Conference also called for the abolition of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

Mr Michael Nsowah, though, pointed out that the 30% quota to localities should largely be blamed for the discrepancies in the selection process; he strongly disapproved that the system should be abolished.

“I think it is something that helped in a very big way and if there are certain challenges, I think we need to look at those challenges and make it work. We cannot go back to the manual because that was fraught with more fraud than we are talking about now.”

According to Kofi Asare, an Education Policy Analyst with Action for Rural Education, the system has suffered some challenges since its inception, but this year’s “problem seems to be quite handful”.

“But I don’t think the solution to the problem is to abolish the CSSPS; it is not the solution… Abolishing it will take us back to the regime which was worse compared to the current regime. So abolishing is out of the options we should be considering at this time.”

He attributed this year’s flaws to the “seemingly incoherence between data on vacancy available to the Computerised School Selection and Placement Secretariat and the actual vacancies in the senior high schools”.

The Minister of Education Betty Mould-Idrissu has announced that there would be a stakeholders' meeting on Tuesday to iron out all the teething issues concerning the selection process. Mr Asare has, therefore, called on the ministry to take a critical look at the gap to ensure that information on vacancies in schools corresponds with what the secretariat has.

He said after interacting with some parents and education practitioners, the 30% quota was fingered as a contributing factor to this year’s mess.

He noted that the implementation of the system came after the pupils have filled the forms to select their preferred senior high schools; hence the 30% quota was done manually alongside the computerized system.

On the back and forth with the SHS duration, Education Minister Betty Mould-Iddrisu told Joy News the law introducing the four-year SHS system has been amended and there is no turning back.

Kofi Asare has thrown his weight behind Education Minister’s rejection of calls by the Catholic Bishops.

“The timing is even wrong. I think we have crossed the bridge on the debate between three years and four years. There are so many pressing issues in education that we need to discuss, so we should discuss emerging issues in a progressive manner,” Kofi Asare told Joy FM’s Top Story Monday.

Education Policy Analyst noted that it would be inappropriate to revisit the debate, having previously been weakened with political coloration.

He said after the necessary legal amendment has been made to the Education Act 2008, Act 778 to go three years, people should be more concerned with how to put the three years adopted into good use.

“We also realised that Ghana actually was not prepared for the four-year system, which experienced severe inadequate infrastructure, lack of good preparation in terms of curriculum availability and even teachers and so many other things,” Kofi Asare stressed.

But Mr Michael Nsowah maintained he was still in support of the four-year system.


From: Ghana l Isaac Essel l Myjoyonline.com
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/education/201111/76475.php

No award for Kufuor if… - Moree youth threaten

The youth of Moree in the Central Region are up in arms against the Omanhene of the Asebu traditional Area, Okatakyi Amenfi VII, and have threatened to disrupt this year’s Apayem-kese festival.

The youth, who say they are determined to carry out their threat, have created some tension. They are also advising the chiefs and people of the area, as well as tourists that their safety cannot be guaranteed if they decide to participate in the festival scheduled to come off this week.

Joy FM's Central Regional correspondent, Richard Kojo Nyarko, reports that the youth accuse Okatakyi Amenfi of denying them every opportunity to have a substantive chief for the Moree township as he refuses to recognize any chief proposed to him.

They also claimed the Omanhene had sidelined the people of Moree, striping them of their dignity.

Former President J.A. Kufuor is expected to be honoured by the chiefs and people of the Asebu traditional area for what they say is his contributions to peace and rapid development of the area.

But the Youth have vowed to stop the Omanhene of the traditional area from giving any award to the former President in the name of Asebuman.

Isaac Nketia, spokesperson of the youth, warned: “We are therefore cautioning the organisers of the so-called Apayem-Kese, they should not attempt organising any occasion at Moree beach; two, no entertainment should be organised by the organisers of Apayem-kese in Moree. We cannot further guarantee their safety if they failed to adhere to the above.”

The Omanhene of the Asebu traditional Area, Okatakyi Amenfi VII, has however expressed shock at the assertions of the youth.

He told Joy News that Moree was faced with a number of chieftaincy disputes, and disagreed with the youth’s attempt to draw in the entire traditional area in their chieftaincy issues.

He therefore asked the youth to desist from any acts that would raise tension and bring about violence in the area.

He also defended the need for his area to honour former President Kufuor.

“If President Kufuor and his party or government had refused to hand over the reign of administration to the next government [Ghana would not have been a peaceful state]. So that is the issue, the point is we need people who have the nation at heart and who can take the right decisions at the right time to save the nation from destruction.”

From: Ghana /Myjoyonline.com/Isaac Essel
http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201111/76451.php

Quashigah hits back at Kufuor: You envy Rawlings

The Propaganda Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Richard Quashigah has taken a swipe at former President J.A. Kufuor for saying Mr Rawlings’ self-assessment of his era was boastful.

In a press release, issued on Friday, Mr Quashigah says Mr Kufuor’s take on former President Rawlings was nothing but double standards and sheer envy of his predecessor.

“For him to now describe as boastful President Rawlings’ assessment of his regime's performance smacks of double standard, envy and hypocrisy. It is not lost on us that President Kufuor is the only Ghanaian leader who has so far conferred on himself the highest award of the land while still President; an awards category he himself created.”

The statement further stated: “In fairness, if there is any former leader apart from Nkrumah, worth applauding, then it must be Jerry Rawlings.”


Below is the full statement

KUFUOR’S DOUBLE STANDARD AND ENVY

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has observed with great amusement and shock former President Kufuor’s criticism of his predecessor President Rawlings’ assessment of the Rawlings era as sterling which brought out the best in people. According to President Kufour such self assessment is boastful.

It will be recalled that in 2009 former President Kufuor repeatedly adjudged himself as having done more for Ghana than any other leader Ghana has ever had. At the time he made this statement we urged him not to tickle himself and laugh since his achievements were insignificant as compared to those of Dr. Nukrumah and Mr. Rawlings.

For him to now describe as boastful President Rawlings’ assessment of his regime‘s performance smacks of double standard, envy and hypocrisy. It is not lost on us that President Kufuor is the only Ghanaian leader who has so far conferred on himself the highest award of the land while still President; an awards category he himself created.

We would wish to remind Mr. J. A. Kufuor that since the Nkrumah era or after Nkrumah’s overthrown, this country was left badly bruised, until 1983, when the nation begun registering positive growth under the management of the Rawlings’ PNDC. The Rawlings regime, begun on the threshold of negative economic indicators (the worse economy any regime in Ghana ever inherited). It was a period described in a document published in 2005 by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, as one of economic decay and attributed it largely to counterproductive policies pursued before. So bad was the situation that, between the period of 1970-1983, real GDP grew at an average rate of 0.81% per annum while the growth of real per capita GDP on average was -8.34%.

It was at such point of suffocation and stagnation from which Ghana was resuscitated with Rawlings as the captain in the coxswain

So sterling were his economic achievements not to mention strengthening of institutions such as the judiciary, and instilling in the Ghanaian people the “can do spirit” that at varied international fora, he was acclaimed as ‘one of few African leaders to resuscitate a collapsed economy.
In fairness, if there is any former leader apart from Nkrumah, worth applauding, then it must be Jerry Rawlings.

Mr. Kufuor must therefore be reminded that no conscious effort of his to obliterate or overshadow Mr. Rawlings’ exemplary achievements will work.

Signed

Richard Quashigah
NDC National Propaganda Secretary


Credit: Joy Online

Kufuor replies ‘boastful’ Rawlings

In a subtle attempt to discredit claims by former President J.J. Rawlings that he is the best ever Ghanaian leader, ex-President J.A. Kufuor has described Mr Rawlings as a man who is full of himself.

Mr Rawlings, who is also an AU envoy to Somalia, stoked a controversy in an interview with a South Africa-based television station, eTV when he asserted that the strengthening of institutions like the judiciary and empowerment of Ghanaians qualified him as the best Ghanaian leader.

“And my leadership, to be quite honest, I don’t know any other type of leadership that want to bring the best out of people…I will cite instances, the progress that was made within the judiciary, when people actually, you know, felt that they owned the political atmosphere,” he stressed.

But in a sharp rebuttal, former President Kufuor has called the bluff of his predecessor for blowing his own trumpet.

Moreover, when asked by Joy News’ Jefferson Sackey if he concurs or holds a contrary view to the claims, Mr Kufuor replied: “Let the people of Ghana say so [that Rawlings is the best leader Ghana has ever had], otherwise it becomes a boastful statement.”

Former President Kufuor, who attracted the accolade ‘Gentle Giant’ during his eight-year rule, further maintained: “I am not prone to boasting, I don’t like that”.

He justified his position with an Akan proverb which says ahwene pa nkasa to wit ones does not need others attention to promote itself, insisting “let the people of Ghana say, over this period, this is the best leader we have had, I will not say I am the best, I won’t say that; it should be the people I led.”

Asked to assess his tenure as the President of Ghana, he remarked: “I did my best for my country.”

He was convinced that Ghanaians were largely satisfied and approved of his leadership style, “otherwise they wouldn’t be coming to me for guidance and advice, if they were not satisfied.”

Meanwhile, a governance expert, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, suggested that former President Rawlings’ claim could be subjective depending on how one views it.

He said even though excesses, especially trampling of human rights, of the revolutionary regime could not be ruled out of his 20-year rule, he contributed greatly to Ghana’s return to constitutional and democratic rule – stabilizing the Fourth Republic – and reforming the economy in the 80s.

“So those issues are there and would always colour and discolour his records,” he told Joy News.

Dr Akwetey called for a “more dispassionate analysis” of his assertion to ascertain its veracity, “but I think he’s made very significant contributions”.

From: Ghana l Isaac Essel l Myjoyonline.com
http://politics.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201111/76285.php

I'm the best leader ever in Ghana's history - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings says his nearly 20-year rule can be described as the best ever in the annals of the country's political history.

The former President who is also an AU envoy to Somalia, in an interview with a South Africa-based television station, eTV averred that the strengthening of institutions like the judiciary and empowerment of Ghanaians qualified him as the best Ghanaian leader.

He said, all these were done with a conviction that when Ghanaians are united with a sense of vision, and with a sense of purpose, “no one can take them for a ride”.

He stressed: “And my leadership, to be quite honest, I don’t know any other type of leadership that want to bring the best out of people…I will cite instances, the progress that was made within the judiciary, when people actually, you know, felt that they owned the political atmosphere.”

The programme host challenged him that during the revolutionary period, he sidelined the Ashanti’s and some Ewes, and even disposed off some Akan ministers when he took over power, “causing a great divide in government”.

But Mr Rawlings debunked that assertion and promised to make available “documents and personalities” both from opposition and from within the revolution period to speak for him on those allegations.

The former President said whilst some African countries refer to persons on the other side of the political divide as opposition, “in actual fact...they treat us like enemies”.

Mr Rawlings justified his long stay in power. He stated that he deliberately held onto power so he could empower Ghanaians.

“I lasted for many years not because I was using the coercive machinery, but because we were engaged in empowering the power,” he said, explaining that “Having become empowered, [the people] will demand accountability from you, will demand transparency from you, will demand integrity from you. How many of us in this position are prepared to render accountability to the people?”

“That is the difference.” He continued: “That is why they have a problem with Rawlings, and have to misrepresent it to make it seem as if he is divisive. He is so and so; he is so and so. No! Rawlings believes in accountability, he believes in transparency, he believes in the empowerment of the people.”

Meanwhile, Kofi Adams, the spokesperson of JJ Rawlings, has dared anyone with evidence to come out to accuse his boss of murder during his reign as a military ruler.

Mr. Adams told Citi FM in Ghana that although there were some excesses during the revolution, Rawlings as the junta leader never had a hand in any killing throughout his military rule.

According to Mr. Adams, “not a single person has so far proven that President Rawlings took a knife or a gun, threw or shot somebody to kill that person.”

From: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Isaac Essel

MP wants ‘notorious’ camp housing ex Ivorian combatants closed

The Eagle Star Refugee Camp could be shut down by December this year after ex-combatants currently being housed there are transferred to other camps.

The need to relocate the camp comes after complaints by the Member of Parliament for Takoradi that the presence of the ex-combatants threatens the country’s security.

Following two unresolved murders at the nearby Ambenu refugee camp, the MP, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, blamed the deaths on the former fighters.

He wants government to as a matter of urgency repatriate the ex combatants.

He told Joy News if the government fails to relocate them, “it is going to be a mess if something goes wrong again. I believe that Ghana is on a time bomb, when it comes to the issue of the ex-combatants refugees from Ivory Coast after the election, and I believe government should work on it as quickly as possible”.

Meanwhile, the Manager of the Ambenu Refugee Camp, Kelly Forson explains to Joy News the UN statutes on refugees do not permit forced repatriation.

He however says there are plans to improve the monitoring of their activities.


By Isaac Essel/ myjoyonline.com