NADMO present relief items for TDC demolition exercise victims

By: Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Monday, 27 January 2014

Pix: Officials of NADMO mounting tents for the victims. INSET: Mr Portuphy handing over the relief items to Mr Odamtten, the TMA Chief Executive

Residents of Adjei Kojo whose structures were demolished last week are to benefit from relief items presented to the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO). Initial assessment by NADMO indicates that more than 800 people from 167 households, mostly women, children and the aged, were displaced after a team of military and police personnel had demolished houses on lands acquired by the TDC for the expansion of Tema. The National Coordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, handed over the items, made up of 10 tents (each with the capacity to shelter between 10 and 18 people), 300 mats, 400 blankets, 1,000 plastic bowls, three bales of used clothing, mosquito nets and packets of mosquito coil, to the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, for distribution to the affected persons. Mr Odamtten expressed appreciation to NADMO for the swift response which, he said, would help ameliorate the pain and anguish of the displace persons. He admitted that there had been some lapses in the work of some of the members of the task force and pledged to convene a meeting with all stakeholders, including the TDC, to streamline and promote the development of the metropolis. Present were the Tema Coordinator of NADMO, Hajia Zeinab Abdulai, and a former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Samuel Ofosu- Ampofo, who was the NDC's parliamentary candidate for the affected area in the 2012 general election. Presenting the items, Mr Portuphy explained that the donation was just the initial consignment mobilised in the heat of the moment and indicated that as and when resources became available, more items would be given to the displaced persons, some of whom had been compelled to sleep in the open. Lack of consultation He bemoaned the manner in which the exercise had been carried out, stressing that although the TDC might have the right to carry out such an exercise, NADMO should have been consulted to handle the plight of the internally displaced persons well. Mr Portuphy said while the legalities must be pursued, there was also the need for the application of a human face to the exercise, adding that the TDC could not be absolved of complicity in the sale of lands to individuals in the affected area. He said there was evidence that occupants of the land had paid various sums of money to the TDC and Tema Metropolitan Assembly and wondered what might have prevented the TDC from dialoguing with the occupants and the allodial owners of the land in order to resolve the problem amicably. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo also expressed discontent at the lack of consultation among the TDC, the TMA and agencies such as NADMO when the TDC decided to carry out the demolition exercise. Writer's email: benjamin.glover@ graphic.com.gh http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/16447-nadmo-relief-items-for-tdc-demolition-exercise-victims.html http://graphic.com.gh/nadmo-to-the-rescue-of-stranded-adjei-kojo-residents.html

Ishmael Ashitey Retains Accra NPP Chairmanship

By: Rose Hayford Darko & Benjamin Xornam Glover, Tema | Sunday, 26 January 2014

It was all fun, excitement, lobbying and exchange of pleasantries when the Greater Regional NPP delegates converged in Tema to elect regional officers. The atmosphere was relaxed when the 33 candidates poised for various positions were given two minutes to address delegates prior ahead of voting. After the elections incumbent Chairman of the party, Mr Ishmael Ashitey retained his chairmanship for another term of office in the region. Mr Ashitey polled 344 votes out of the 550 votes cast while his main contender, Mr George Isaac Amoo obtained 205 votes. One ballot was rejected. The elections which was supervised the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) led by Mr. Alex Poku-Akubia saw a third candidate for the chairmanship position, Nii Akwei Addo withdrawing from the contest some few minutes to voting. The 575 delegates made up of the Council of Elders, Regional Executives, MPs, TESCON Executives, patrons and 16 constituency executives each from 31 out of the 34 constituencies in the region accredited to vote took part in the elections. Delegates from three constituencies namely Krowor, Okaikoi North and Okaikoi South were however absent at the conference as a result of a court injunction secured by some members of the party preventing them from holding constituency elections. Mr Poku-Akubia, the Regional Director of EC, after the counting of ballots declared Mr Ashitey as the winner amidst thunderous applause from the crowd that was inside the hall. Some called the victory “host and win” on account of Mr Ashitey being a former MP for Tema East. Other executives elected were Mr. Alfred Boye, First Vice-Chairman; Mr Albert B. Okyere, Second Vice-Chairperson; Mr. Mohammed Adjei Sowah Secretary; and Mr. Adam Sabo Abdul-Rahman, Assistant Secretary. The rest were Nii Kwartey Kwatei, Treasurer; Mr. Achibald Cobbina, Organizer; Madam Joyce Konokie Zempare, Women’s Organizer; Mr. Prince Obeng, Youth Organizer; and Alhaji Aminu Abu, Nasara Coordinator. In a post-election interview, Mr Ashitey said it was a very fair election and commended his opponent for putting up a great fight. He said the victory is not his personal victory but one for the NPP and the Greater Accra Region. He pledged to work closely with all the aspirants to uplift the party in the region and also to work hard to win not less than 20 parliamentary seats for the NPP in the Greater Accra Region from the current 14 seats. He mentioned Nlegshie Amamfrom, Krowor, Ablekuma Central, Ningo Prampram, Sege and Ledzokuku as constituencies the party was targeting to win in the next elections to add up to the 14 seats. A Former Mayor of Accra, Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson who chaired the function said this was by far the most transparent elections the NPP had ever recorded in the region. He called on all contestants to respect the views of the delegates and rally behind those elected in order to re-engineer the image of the party in the Greater Accra Region. The newly elected party executives were sworn into office by a founding member of NPP in Greater Accra, Mr Ben Annan. The regional elections were generally peaceful and the team of police personnel led by Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP), and Mr Karim Atuluk commended delegates for the cooperation. ASP Karim Atuluk said a total of 100 police personnel were deployed for the conference, 50 of whom were deployed in the morning while the other 50, who were on standby were called in towards the close of the process to ensure that nothing untoward happened. The conference was scheduled to start at 8:30 am however last minute lobbying and campaigning by the various candidates pushed the opening of conference to 12 noon. The conference grounds itself was washed with various party posters of candidates seeking the mandate of the delegates while food vendors as well as souvenir dealers also lined up the premises to cash in on the occasion Detailed results as declared by the EC 1. Chairmanship Ishmael Ashitey – 344 George Isaac Amoo- 205 Rejected – 1 2. First Vice-Chairman Alfred Boye – 346 Gladys Mann Dedey – 194 3. Second Vice-Chairman Albert B. Okyere – 287 Winfred Nene Teye Agble – 147 Boye Laryea – 105 4. Secretary Mohammed Adjei Sowah – 430 Redford Adjei Frempong – 109 5. Assistant Secretary Adam Sabo Abdul Rahman – 273 Daniel Parker France – 233 Nii Okuley Annan – 43 6. Treasurer Nii Kwartey Kwatei – 293 Humphrey Ayim Dake – 247 7. Organizer Archibald Cobina – 350 Francis Mensah -96 William K. Akakpo – 52 Victor Okuley Nortey- 77 8. Women’s Organizer Joyce Konokie Zempare – 364 Vida Owusu – 115 Naomi Rachel Allotey- 60 9. Youth Organizer Prince Obeng – 167 Isaac Owuraku Amofa – 104 Richard Kweku Mills – 24 Nii Adjetey London – 9 Philip E.K. Doe – 144 Ismael Pius Torto – 24 Kwesi Prince Yeboah – 67 10. Nasara Coordinator Alhaji Aminu Abu – 13 Alhaji Suraj Ahmed – 10 Abdul Azziz Yahaya – 7 Amin Abdul Azziz – 1 http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/16408-ishmael-ashitey-retains-accra-npp-chairmanship.html

NPP elects regional officers

By: Daily Graphic / Ghana | Monday, 27 January 2014

PIX: Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour (left) congratulating Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh on retaining his position as Brong Ahafo regional chairman of the NPP. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) last Saturday moved a step further in its preparation towards the 2016 general election when it successfully conducted elections in all the 10 regions to elect its regional officers. The regional elections came after the party had concluded elections in 275 constituencies to elect polling station and constituency executives. The election of new national executive for the party will take place on March 1, 2014. Nominations for the positions are scheduled to open today. That election will be the last hurdle for the party to complete its re-organisational efforts and then elect a presidential candidate to lead the party into the 2016 general election. About 5,000 delegates cast their votes at 10 voting centres across the country for 267 candidates who contested the various regional positions. Greater Accra Rose Hayford Darko & Benjamin Xornam Glover report from Tema that the atmosphere was relaxed when the 33 candidates vying for various positions were given two minutes each to address delegates prior to the start of voting. After the elections, the incumbent Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, polled 344 votes out of the 550 votes cast to retain his position for another term. His main challenger, Mr George Isaac Amoo, obtained 205 votes. One ballot was rejected. The election was supervised by the Greater Accra Regional Office of the Electoral Commission (EC), led by Mr Alex Poku-Akubia. A third candidate for the chairmanship, Nii Akwei Addo, withdrew from the contest some few minutes before voting. In all, 575 delegates from 31 out of the 34 constituencies in the region accredited to vote took part in the election. Delegates from three constituencies, namely, Krowor, Okaikoi North and Okaikoi South, could not participate in election because of a court injunction secured by some members of the party to prevent them from holding constituency elections. The newly elected regional party executives were sworn into office by Mr Ben Annan, a Founder Member of NPP in the Greater Accra. Ashanti Region The election of a chairman for the Ashanti Regional branch of the NPP ended in a landslide victory for the young party philanthropist, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, over his older and more politically experienced opponent, Kwame Osei Prempeh, a former MP for Nsuta-Kwamang-Beposo, last Saturday, reports Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor from Kumasi. Antwi Boasiako, also known as Chairman Wontumi, polled 559 votes, as against 209 by Mr Osei Prempeh, to win the much coveted regional chairmanship of the party. One ballot was rejected. In all, 769 delegates from 44 out of the 47 constituencies in the region voted. Three constituencies where the party is yet to hold constituency elections could not take part in the regional congress. They are Atwima Kwanwoma, Ejisu and Nsuta Kwamang-Beposo. Even before the election got underway, it was obvious from the cheers received by the candidates when they were introduced that it was a done deal for Chairman Wontumi. Later, in his victory speech, Mr Antwi-Boasiako thanked all party members and supporters for their support and pledged to work assiduously to ensure victory for the party in 2016. Mr Osei-Prempeh, who conceded defeat, pledged his support to the party and the newly elected chairman and promised to work with him for the progress of the party. The other newly elected executives are Abdul Raul, First Vice-Chairman; Madam Beatrice Serwaa Derkyi, Second Vice-Chairman; Samuel Pyne, Regional Secretary; Manaf Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary. The others are Regional Treasurer, Zeinabu Sallow; Regional Organiser, Kennedy Kwasi Kankam; Nana Ama Ampomaah, Regional Women’s Organiser; Regional Youth Organiser, Justin Kodua, and Nasara Coordinator for the Ashanti Region, Mohammed Abdul Hamid. Western Region From Takoradi, Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah & Andrew Tetteh report that 451 delegates from the 26 constituencies in the Western Region participated in the elections held in the auditorium of the Takoradi Polytechnic (T-Poly), which saw Mr Kofi Atta Dickson Nketia, aka Kendicks, dethroning the incumbent regional chairman, Nana Owusu Ankomah, in the race. The 55-year-old chief executive officer (CEO) of a pharmaceutical company in Takoradi polled 285 votes as against the 124 secured by Nana Ankoma, with Mr Joseph E. Payne, the third contender, obtaining 41 of the ballots in an election conducted by the Western Regional Office of the EC. In all, 32 candidates vied for the positions of regional chairman, first and second vice chairman, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, organiser, women’s organiser, youth organiser and Nasara coordinator. In a short post-election address, Nana Ankomah conceded defeat wholeheartedly, noting that “what is important is that in 2016 the NPP comes to power because it is the only group willing to secure power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC)”. For his part, Mr Nketia indicated that there was no winner and loser in the election and that what was important was for all members of the party to unite and rally solidly behind the new executive members towards a resounding victory in 2016. Brong Ahafo Region From the Brong Ahafo Region, Asiedu Marfo reports that the NPP successfully elected its 10-member regional executive to run the affairs of the party in the region for the next four years at the regional delegates’ conference in Sunyani. Thirty-one candidates vied for positions in the keenly contested election. The incumbent Regional Chairman, Mr Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh, polled 259 votes to beat his three opponents — Messrs Kwame Twumasi Awua, Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour and Mr Joseph Adjei, who stepped down in the 11th hour. In his acceptance speech, Mr Cheremeh called on all the candidates who lost to come together to campaign vigorously to win the 2016 general election. Upper West Region From Wa, Michael Quaye reports that the seemingly bitter campaigning session leading to the election, ended positively when the victor and the vanquished pledged support for each other after peaceful polls that elected new executive members for the part in the Upper West Region. Incumbent Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Abubakar was re-elected for a third term as regional chairman for the party, but stated upon being officially declared the winner that “the true winner today is the NPP. It is the collective group of the party that has won and not an individual. “If I had my way, I will stop the celebrations regarding my victory. But even if we decide to celebrate, it should be in moderation and for the entire party.” Alhaji Abubakar beat challengers Alhaji Toyiba Mahama and Ishak Gaaba Dapilaa who polled 63 and 39 votes respectively in the main contest that had attracted interest and attention in the region. Central Region Gilbert Agbey reports from Agona Swedru that the Central Regional conference to elect regional officers of the NPP was held at the Town Hall in Agona Swedru. The election, which was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., was delayed until 12:30 p.m. At the end of it all, the Chief Executive Officer of ALLSHIP Company Limited, Mr Robert K. Kutin, was elected the new Regional Chairman of the party. He polled 346 votes to defeat his only challenger, Mr Eustace Kumi Bruce, who managed only 65 votes. In an address after the new executives had been sworn in, Mr Kutin thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in the new regional leadership of the party. Upper East Region In Bolgatanga, the regional delegates conference of the party to elect officers for the region was temporarily held up for almost one hour due to the ineligibility of delegates from the Bongo Constituency to take part in the election, reports Alhandu Abdul-Hamid. The Deputy Upper East Regional Director of the EC, Mr Azu Boscos, said since there was an injunction on the Bongo Constituency election, delegates from that constituency could not be eligible to vote. The Council of Elders of the party in the region, as well as the regional election committee and delegates from the Bongo Constituency, had to meet behind closed doors to resolve the problem. After extensive consultations, it was decided that the delegates from the Bongo Constituency should not be allowed to vote. At the end of the election, Mr Adams Mahama, a known contractor and confidante of the late Vice-President Aliu Mahama, emerged as the Chairman of the party with 153 votes. Northern Region From Tamale, Zakaria Alhassan & Samuel Duodu report that the 62-year-old businessman cum contractor, Mr Daniel Bugri Naabu, was third time lucky last Saturday when he emerged from a very competitive contest as the new Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP. The outspoken contractor beat the incumbent Northern Regional Vice-Chairman, Alhaji Rufai Yahaya Iddi; a former Northern Regional Secretary of the party, Dr Clifford Braimah, and the incumbent Chairman, Alhaji Haruna Tia Sulemana, to the position. In all, 39 candidates vied for the nine positions of the party in the region. Mr Naabu, who was elated by the outcome of the election, entreated his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party to join hands to work hard to ensure the growth of the NPP in the region. Eastern Region A. Kofoya-Tetteh reports from Koforidua that a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia, Mr Kinston Kissi, is now the new Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP. He beat his only challenger, Dr Samuel Yaw Annoh, the incumbent, by 361 votes to 229 to carry the day in the election which was very peaceful. Shortly after the new executive members had been sworn into office, Mr Kissi, on behalf of his colleagues, asked the rank and file of the party to consider the event as victory for the NPP but not for individuals. He gave an assurance that they would do their best to ensure NPP victory in the 2016 general election and called for support from all members of the party. Volta Region A 42-year-old energy policy analyst, Mr John Peter Amewu, was elected the new NPP Volta Regional Chairman in a keenly contested election held last weekend at the Ho Polytechnic auditorium. Mr Amewu, who is a former Hohoe District Chief Executive, beat a former Volta Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, and Mr Julius Kwami Ametefe. The first vice-chairman position was won by Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, while an educationist, Madam Esther Ejeani, was elected second vice–chairman, with the position of secretary going to Mr Joseph Homenya. The post of assistant secretary went to Mr Joshua Makubu, while Mr Makafui Woanyah became the regional organiser. Madam Akua Sika Nkansah emerged the women’s organiser, with the position of youth organiser going to Mr Maxwell Lugudor. The position of treasurer was won by a former Nkwanta District Chief Executive, Mr Joseph Dentey, while the Nasara coordinator was won by Hajia Fuseini. In a victory speech, Mr Amewu declared that the end of factionalism in the party in the Volta Region was in sight and that the victory was a new dawn for the party to chart a fresh course for victory in the 2016 elections. He said the party continued to make geometric growth in the region, an indication of the hard work of past executives, and called on party members to work harder and come together as a team to win power. Delegates from the Keta Constituency were restrained by a court injunction from voting. http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/16436-npp-elects-regional-officers.html

Desolation at Adjei Kojo

By: Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Friday, 24 January 2014

Sitting uncomfortably on a stool under a neem tree on the land that used to accommodate their house, Rosemary Perimah watched over what the family could salvage. With eyes filled with tears, she gazed at the rubbles of their demolished house in the hope that the hand of the clock could be turned back so she could regain her property. Rosemary and others at Promiseland and Solomon City, suburbs of Adjei Kojo near Ashaiman, are, obviously, yet to come to terms with the reality that their houses were demolished on January 22 and 23, 2014 by the task force from the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), with the demolishing exercise still ongoing at the time the Daily Graphic visited the site. She, like the hundreds of residents in the affected area, slept in the open overnight after the task force razed down every building in sight on the parcel of land which is part of the 63-square miles area belonging to the TDC. Rosemary told the Daily Graphic that her husband, a policeman, received a call on Thursday, informing him that members of the task force were pulling down their house. She said when his husband rushed to the area, the team had carried out the exercise and destroyed every item in the house, leaving them homeless and stranded. “If you look at the present economic condition in the country, it is very painful for someone to toil and lay hands on money to put up some small structure, only for it to be brought down this way,” Rosemary said, adding that they had documents attesting to the fact that they bought the land legally from the chiefs. Joseph Perimah, a nurse, said he was returning from work on Wednesday, when he received telephone calls that their house had been demolished, while household chattels were being thrown about recklessly. “My problem now is how to raise a substantial amount of money to relocate,” he said. The task force, together with a joint police and military team, has so far pulled down over 100 structures, displacing more than one thousand residents. Pain and anguish Struggling to narrate his experience, Lawrence Koranteng, who showed the Daily Graphic team the architectural drawings of his house, said: “I watched in anguish as the task force pulled down my house and bulldozed my belongings.” Mr Koranteng said he bought the land seven years ago from the traditional rulers, adding that he made follow-up visits to the offices of the TDC but was told there had never been any issue concerning the ownership of the land. He, therefore, proceeded to commence work on the structure two years ago and just when he had roofed it, the task force popped up to demolish it. “Since I started work on this project, officials of the TDC have been coming around but they don’t complain. We met both the chiefs and TDC officials to find out if there was a problem with the land, but we were assured that the land was safe to build on, only to be confronted with this havoc,” he said. Mr Issaka Sumaila, 72, lamented; “At my age, where do I start? I cannot run around the way I was doing some years back. This is where I have called home. This is where I always hoped to rest finally, but with this, I am confused. I leave everything to Allah. We are powerless and we can only commit the people who carried out this act into the hands of Allah.” Another resident, Mr Muniru Yussif, a member of staff at the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, who lost his home in the exercise, questioned the rationale behind the exercise. “Where are we going to sleep, look at people’s properties all scattered over the place? Under the prevailing condition, what do they expect us to do, perhaps armed robbery. Maybe we should all go and acquire guns for robbery. If we succeed fine, if they kill us, the better,” he said. Political twist Some residents could not help it but point accusing fingers at the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), which they claimed had let them down. An aggrieved resident went to the extent of burning an NDC flag in protest at the exercise. Mr Mawudem Kumado, an executive member of the NDC in the area, said he would not blame anyone for their plight, but the government which they campaigned and voted for. “What is happening is very terrible. This land was acquired legally and under no circumstances can anyone refer to us as illegal occupants,” he added. In the midst of the confusion and anger, the Daily Graphic spotted an official of the Electricity Company of Ghana who had come around to distribute bills to occupants of the affected area. The said official was booed at and had to leave the scene in haste to avoid the wrath of the affected residents. Acquisition of land According to the TDC, the land in question was acquired in 1952 from the traditional authorities of Nungua, Tema and Kpone and leased to the TDC to develop a new township for Tema. Over the years, however, the TDC has lost thousands of acres of land to encroachers, while government land covering over 740 acres had also been taken over by encroachers. http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/16323-desolation-at-adjei-kojo.html http://graphic.com.gh/tma-pulls-down-homes-at-adjei-kojo.html?lang=en&page=4#category Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

TDC demolishes houses at Adjei Kojo

By: Rose Hayford Darko & Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana

More than 60 structures were yesterday demolished at Adjei Kojo near Ashaiman during an exercise to clear land acquired by the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) for the expansion of Tema. Before the exercise began, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West, Ms Irene Naa Toshie Addo, led some residents to protest against the exercise, but she was ignored by the TDC task force which carried out the exercise supervised by a joint military and police team. The exercise, code-named; “Operation Halt,” will be extended to Gulf City, Bethlehem and Ramsar Site near Klagon, among other areas. According to information gathered by the Daily Graphic, series of such exercises would be conducted in other areas to stop the sale of lands by land guards. As a result of the demolishing exercise, the affected residents were rendered homeless. When the Daily Graphic got to the scene, there were payloaders and bulldozers being directed by the security personnel to pull down the structures. The area was cordoned off by the security personnel to prevent people from interfering with the exercise. As a result of the agitation by some affected persons, the security personnel fired warning shots and attempted to apprehend any one who went close to the area. TDC’s reaction When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the TDC, Ms Dorothy Asare Kumah, explained that a survey was conducted last year by personnel of the 48 Engineers Regiment for the TDC to regularise those who had permits to build on the land. She said it was, however, found that most of the residents had built on waterways and in areas earmarked for roads, while others could not produce genuine documents covering the acquisition of the land. Assembly member The assembly member for the Adjei Kojo Electoral Area, Mr Romeo Elikplim Akahoho, whose jurisdiction is close to communities 23 and 24 where the operation was carried out, had to drive off quickly to avoid the wrath of both the residents and the security personnel. When he spoke to the Daily Graphic later, he explained that some residents in the affected area woke him up at dawn to seek his intervention. “In my capacity as the assembly member, l went to the scene to seek audience with the security personnel but I was unfortunately cautioned to move my car,” he said. According to him, the security said they would not allow any intervention to thwart their effort to clear the area of encroachers and land guards. http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/16234-tdc-demolishes-houses-at-adjei-kojo.html

Containers locked up at Tema Port due to court injunctions

By: Rose Hayford Darko & Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Thursday, 16 January 2014 Hundreds of containers have piled up at the Tema Port because of court injunctions. During a visit to the port by the Daily Graphic it was discovered that three categories of containers form the majority of uncleared cargo at the port. The first category consists of containers with the court injunctions on them; the second, containers being held up because of unpaid taxes, while the third category is made up of containers with their contents declared and taxes paid but which cannot be cleared because of problems facing the various shipping lines. In an interview, the Chief Revenue Officer in charge of State Warehouse, Tema Port, Mr Malik Alhassan Mahama, said per the Ghana Customs Law, PNDC Law 330 of 1993, Customs dared not touch all the three categories of containers. He said Customs had its last public auction of general goods on January 7, 2014 as part of its mandate to auction overstayed cargo and added that before goods were auctioned, they were gazetted and the auction took place 14 days after the gazette. He, however, welcomed any move that would help the Customs Division decongest the port. GHAPOHA The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA), when contacted, also welcomed any intervention that would decongest the ports. In a separate interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema, the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of GHAPOHA at the Tema Port, Mr Paul Asare-Ansah, said “what is important is not to have another agency to do what the Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority have been mandated to do”, but rather necessary to remove all bottlenecks that restrained Customs from executing its mandate. According to him, under normal circumstances, unclaimed cargo which had been in the port after 21 days was transferred to Customs for them to process the cargo for auction. He also recognised challenges, both administrative or logistic, that prevented Customs from carrying out its mandate and called for the creation of an enabling environment for the mandated organisation to perform its role. Mr Asare-Ansah said it was strange that somebody would import cargo and willfully abandon such goods. He was of the view that the challenges creating such situation for importers should be addressed to enable importers to complete transactions to avoid their cargo being put under the unclaimed cargo list (UCL). Seeking Information He advised importers to be well-informed on the processes and seek assistance from custom brokers about their tax obligations, freight charges and other financial obligations. He said they could also seek information from websites of organisations, with support from the Ghana Shippers Authority. Mr Asare-Ansah called on importers to engage qualified freight forwarders who would perform their work diligently to ensure that importers cleared their goods within the stipulated period. He was quick to note the increasing taxes which had been a challenge to importers and called for sufficient grace periods to enable them, seek financial support, noting that “overnight increases have contributed to delay of clearance at the ports”. According to the law, goods that are not cleared within 30 days for general goods and 21 days for perishable goods would be disposed of through public auction. Special Operations Unit The Special Operations Unit at the Presidency recently announced that it had intensified the decongestion of all ports of entry and warned that goods that were not cleared within the stipulated 30 days for general goods and 21 days for perishable goods would be disposed off through public auction. The unit was set up by President John Dramani Mahama and is headed by the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani. In the latter part of 2013, the unit uncovered duty fraud involving more than 250 state agencies and private companies. The companies were said to have managed to escape payment of approximately $367 million import duties at bonded warehouses between 2005 and 2012. http://graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/15833-containers-locked-up-at-tema-port-due-to-court-injunctions.html

Review 2014 BECE final timetable — Mathematical association

By: Benjamin Xornam Glover / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Thursday, 23 January 2014 The Mathematical Association of Ghana (MAG) has appealed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to consider amending the 2014 Basic Education Certificate Examination final timetable to make it student-friendly. According to MAG, after a careful study of the 2014 BECE final timetable for June this year, the association has realised that the time and day allotted for Mathematics Paper 1 and 2 and Integrated Science Paper 1 and 2 were not favourable. According to the timetable, a copy of which was made available to the Daily Graphic, Mathematics Paper 1 and 2 are to be written in the afternoon of June 17, 2014 after the Integrated Science Paper 1 and 2 scheduled to be written in the morning of that same day. In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tema, the Greater Accra Regional President of MAG, Mr Jacob Kakra Wilson-Sey, said amending the timetable was necessary, arguing that even on the school timetable, Mathematics was not fixed in the afternoon. He said MAG, at its recent National Council Meeting in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, drew the attention of WAEC to what it termed an anomaly and wrote officially, suggesting that the problem be corrected but the association was yet to receive any response from the examination body. “I can tell you that a number of teachers, parents and students across the country are not in favour of these arrangements in the timetable and will welcome an amendment to the timetable to make it student-friendly in view of the fact that these two subjects are considered as heavy weights and some students have negative attitude towards the subjects,” he said. Mr Wilson-Sey, who is also the Assistant Headmaster of Queensland International School Junior High School at Sakumono, said MAG had written to WAEC and copied the Minister of Education and Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, seeking a review of the timetable and also proposed three sample timetables for the consideration of WAEC. He said they were waiting for a response from these institutions. Meanwhile some final-year pupils in both public and private schools who spoke to the Daily Graphic have expressed concern about the difficulties they were likely to encounter when the two subjects were written on the same day, stressing that the two subjects were very demanding. Mr Isaac Allottey, a parent, told the Daily Graphic that WAEC must reconsider amending the timetable to prevent the additional stress that candidates would face if the timetable was not amended. -end- http://graphic.com.gh/news/education/16262-review-2014-bece-final-timetable-mathematical-association.html