Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE Controller and Accountant-General, Mr Christian Tetteh Sottie, has warned that his outfit will deal drastically with any worker covered by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme who falsifies documents to be put on Cap 30.
At the moment, the payment of end-of service benefits under the Cap 30 is more enhanced than that of the SSNIT pension scheme.
Mr Sottie, who gave the warning when interacting with pensioners in Koforidua at the weekend, said it had been the practice of some retired workers of the SSNIT Pension Scheme to falsify their retirement documents to enable them to be put on Cap 30.
He said the practice, which is a criminal act, would not be tolerated and that anybody found to have indulged in the act would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
"We have detected such a serious crime and we are now very vigilant and anybody found to have falsified his or her retirement documents to be put on Cap 30 would be promptly arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution," Mr Sottie stressed.
With regard to how best to address pension issues, Mr Sottie stated that the best thing to do was to contact his outfit or one's employers for redress, but not to be on the airwaves, adding "going to the radio stations cannot help, since we are the only people to solve such problems”.
He said the delay in computing workers' pension was primarily due to difficulties in knowing one's actual grade at the time of going on retirement.
Mr Sottie, therefore, appealed to employers to notify the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD) with such information on time.
He also told the gathering that some unscrupulous junior workers had been demanding as high as GH¢200 to handle the files of pensioners.
Mr Sottie, therefore, advised anybody who had paid for the processing of pension documents to report to his outfit.
He said that would make it possible to identify the perpetrators for disciplinary action to be taken against them.
"Somebody just reported to me that a messenger had demanded GH¢200 from him to carry his file from one office to the other to be processed, but when we decided to give him the money to be given to him as a trap to be arrested, the pensioner refused with the explanation that he did not want to cause somebody's arrest," Mr Sottie said.
He, therefore, asked pensioners to be bold and report such issues to his outfit for the culprits to be sanctioned.
The National Chairman of the Pensioners Association, Mr E.O. Ashiley, said although payment of the monthly pension was normally done by the middle of the month, some banks could not effect payment on time.
He, therefore, advised pensioners encountering such a problem to change their bankers, adding that the association would help pensioners to open accounts if necessary.
The pensioners, for their part, called for prompt payment of their monthly pensions.
They also asked the CAGD to involve them when identifying their dead colleagues to remove ghost names from the payroll.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
'K'DUA DVLA ISSUES 2,117 DRIVER'S LICENCES ...(Page 47)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in the Eastern Region issued 2,117 drivers’ licences to applicants last year.
The Officer in charge of the DVLA, Mr Vincent K. Fiati, said 246 applicants who performed poorly in the tests were disqualified.
Mr Fiati said although applicants were to submit medical reports indicating that they were fit to drive, the DVLA subjected them to rigorous examinations such as eye tests, knowledge in road signs and lately tests to determine if the applicants could read and write.
That, he said, had become mandatory since the directive to issue out licences to only those who could read and write took off this month.
That directive, according to him, would enable drivers to identify faults or problems on modern vehicles that could only be known through a mechanism using words.
On illiterate drivers who already had driving licences, he said such drivers would be allowed to drive but their licences would not exceed Class C.
“That category of drivers will be allowed to drive only small vehicles which are covered by Class C licences. They will not be allowed to drive heavy vehicles any longer,” Mr Fiati stated.
Touching on the age at which one should be issued with a driving licence, he said although the minimum age was 18, only those above 25 would be issued with licences to drive commercial vehicles.
THE Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) in the Eastern Region issued 2,117 drivers’ licences to applicants last year.
The Officer in charge of the DVLA, Mr Vincent K. Fiati, said 246 applicants who performed poorly in the tests were disqualified.
Mr Fiati said although applicants were to submit medical reports indicating that they were fit to drive, the DVLA subjected them to rigorous examinations such as eye tests, knowledge in road signs and lately tests to determine if the applicants could read and write.
That, he said, had become mandatory since the directive to issue out licences to only those who could read and write took off this month.
That directive, according to him, would enable drivers to identify faults or problems on modern vehicles that could only be known through a mechanism using words.
On illiterate drivers who already had driving licences, he said such drivers would be allowed to drive but their licences would not exceed Class C.
“That category of drivers will be allowed to drive only small vehicles which are covered by Class C licences. They will not be allowed to drive heavy vehicles any longer,” Mr Fiati stated.
Touching on the age at which one should be issued with a driving licence, he said although the minimum age was 18, only those above 25 would be issued with licences to drive commercial vehicles.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
ASSEMBLY TO PROSECUTE COMMUNAL LABOUR DEFAULTERS (Page 22)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE West Akyem District Assembly in the Eastern Region will soon prosecute people who refuse to take part in clean-up exercises at Asamankese, the district capital, or any other town in the area.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye, made this known when a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, together with Dizengoff and one Mr Atuah, donated 500 treated bed nets, spraying machines and sanitation equipment to the Asamankese-Anum Presbyterian Cluster of Schools at a ceremony at Asamankese on Wednesday.
The treated bed nets, which will be distributed to the pupils of the schools and their teachers, together with the other items worth GH¢10,000, are to help fight mosquitoes in the area.
The donation, which followed reports of the "invasion" of mosquitoes in the area, coincided with a visit to Asamankese by the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Samson Kwaku Boafo, and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu, to discuss pertinent issues with the Chief of Asamankese, Osabarima Kwaku Amoa.
According to Mr Sintim-Aboagye, since unsanitary conditions normally led to the breeding of mosquitoes, the assembly had to periodically mobilise the people to tidy up Asamankese and a number of communities. Unfortunately, most of the residents refused to join in the exercises.
He, therefore, warned that in future anyone who deliberately refused to join in the exercises would be prosecuted.
The DCE expressed his appreciation to the donors and said the presentation had come at the appropriate time.
He charged the teachers to put the items to good use.
The assembly, Mr Sintim-Aboagye said, had constructed a number of modern places of convenience at vantage points in the area and asked landlords to also provide such facilities in their homes to make the place tidy.
The Chairperson of the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, expressed the hope that the donation would help fight malaria in the area.
Mr Boafo, for his part, asked the people to make good use of the items.
Mr Affram-Asiedu appealed to the people to support the government at all times to enable it to continue to improve their living standards.
The teachers in the school also appealed to the government to provide the school with a library and also rehabilitate its access road.
THE West Akyem District Assembly in the Eastern Region will soon prosecute people who refuse to take part in clean-up exercises at Asamankese, the district capital, or any other town in the area.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye, made this known when a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, together with Dizengoff and one Mr Atuah, donated 500 treated bed nets, spraying machines and sanitation equipment to the Asamankese-Anum Presbyterian Cluster of Schools at a ceremony at Asamankese on Wednesday.
The treated bed nets, which will be distributed to the pupils of the schools and their teachers, together with the other items worth GH¢10,000, are to help fight mosquitoes in the area.
The donation, which followed reports of the "invasion" of mosquitoes in the area, coincided with a visit to Asamankese by the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Samson Kwaku Boafo, and the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram-Asiedu, to discuss pertinent issues with the Chief of Asamankese, Osabarima Kwaku Amoa.
According to Mr Sintim-Aboagye, since unsanitary conditions normally led to the breeding of mosquitoes, the assembly had to periodically mobilise the people to tidy up Asamankese and a number of communities. Unfortunately, most of the residents refused to join in the exercises.
He, therefore, warned that in future anyone who deliberately refused to join in the exercises would be prosecuted.
The DCE expressed his appreciation to the donors and said the presentation had come at the appropriate time.
He charged the teachers to put the items to good use.
The assembly, Mr Sintim-Aboagye said, had constructed a number of modern places of convenience at vantage points in the area and asked landlords to also provide such facilities in their homes to make the place tidy.
The Chairperson of the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, expressed the hope that the donation would help fight malaria in the area.
Mr Boafo, for his part, asked the people to make good use of the items.
Mr Affram-Asiedu appealed to the people to support the government at all times to enable it to continue to improve their living standards.
The teachers in the school also appealed to the government to provide the school with a library and also rehabilitate its access road.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
ROAD CONTRACTORS IN ER APPEAL TO GOVT (Page 21)
A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
ROAD contractors in the Eastern Region have made a passionate appeal to the government to pay them for the contracts they have executed to enable them to settle their creditors.
At a press conference at Koforidua, they said although the Minister of Finance, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, had in the latter part of last year, come out publicly that all road contractors had been paid, none of them in the region had had their certificates honoured since last July.
They stated that due to publicity on the alleged payment, their creditors had started dragging them to court while some of them had threatened to confiscate their properties.
The contractors said as a result of the unfortunate situation, work on their project sites was coming to a halt because they could not pay their workers.
They, therefore, implored the government to honour its obligations to enable them to pay their workers and creditors.
“None of us has been paid from July, last year and the certificates are still lying at the offices of the Department of Feeder Roads, although Mr Baah-Wiredu assured us in November, last year, that we were going to be paid within two weeks,” they lamented.
According to the contractors, nothing had been given to them as of now and they had borrowed huge sums of money from the banks whose interests kept on increasing, thereby affecting their businesses.
They, therefore, appealed to the government to pay them as soon as practicable for them to settle their indebtedness.
ROAD contractors in the Eastern Region have made a passionate appeal to the government to pay them for the contracts they have executed to enable them to settle their creditors.
At a press conference at Koforidua, they said although the Minister of Finance, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, had in the latter part of last year, come out publicly that all road contractors had been paid, none of them in the region had had their certificates honoured since last July.
They stated that due to publicity on the alleged payment, their creditors had started dragging them to court while some of them had threatened to confiscate their properties.
The contractors said as a result of the unfortunate situation, work on their project sites was coming to a halt because they could not pay their workers.
They, therefore, implored the government to honour its obligations to enable them to pay their workers and creditors.
“None of us has been paid from July, last year and the certificates are still lying at the offices of the Department of Feeder Roads, although Mr Baah-Wiredu assured us in November, last year, that we were going to be paid within two weeks,” they lamented.
According to the contractors, nothing had been given to them as of now and they had borrowed huge sums of money from the banks whose interests kept on increasing, thereby affecting their businesses.
They, therefore, appealed to the government to pay them as soon as practicable for them to settle their indebtedness.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
NDC LOWER MANYA WANTS STIFFER PUNISHMENT FOR MP (Page 17)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE EXECUTIVE and members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Lower Manya Constituency have disassociated themselves from the call made by the Member of Parliament of the area, Mr Michael Teye Nyaunu, for an emergency congress to elect a new flag bearer to replace Professor John Evans Atta Mill, who he said, was ill and could, therefore, not lead the party to the December elections.
In a statement signed by the Constituency Chairman, Mr Wisdom Tsatsu, and made available to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua, it said it was unfortunate that the MP did not follow the laid-down rules to make such a statement, and that such an act amounted to treachery of the highest order.
They said although they agreed with the outcome of the high profile meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party which dealt with the issue and the apology rendered by Mr Nyaunu for what he said was his “candid opinion”, a stiffer punishment should be meted out to him to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We believe that all communication channels within the party are clearly defined for any aggrieved person to air his or her concern and for our MP to refuse to use such channels amounts to treachery of the highest order, because we see him as a traitor.”
They, therefore, called for a stiffer punishment against him to serve as a deterrent to other party members who always “act before thinking”.
The statement, however, appealed to all party faithful to passionately analyse their thoughts before voicing them, more especially in this era when the party’s opponents were much concerned about NDC leadership.
THE EXECUTIVE and members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Lower Manya Constituency have disassociated themselves from the call made by the Member of Parliament of the area, Mr Michael Teye Nyaunu, for an emergency congress to elect a new flag bearer to replace Professor John Evans Atta Mill, who he said, was ill and could, therefore, not lead the party to the December elections.
In a statement signed by the Constituency Chairman, Mr Wisdom Tsatsu, and made available to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua, it said it was unfortunate that the MP did not follow the laid-down rules to make such a statement, and that such an act amounted to treachery of the highest order.
They said although they agreed with the outcome of the high profile meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party which dealt with the issue and the apology rendered by Mr Nyaunu for what he said was his “candid opinion”, a stiffer punishment should be meted out to him to serve as a deterrent to others.
“We believe that all communication channels within the party are clearly defined for any aggrieved person to air his or her concern and for our MP to refuse to use such channels amounts to treachery of the highest order, because we see him as a traitor.”
They, therefore, called for a stiffer punishment against him to serve as a deterrent to other party members who always “act before thinking”.
The statement, however, appealed to all party faithful to passionately analyse their thoughts before voicing them, more especially in this era when the party’s opponents were much concerned about NDC leadership.
NEW JUABEN OMANHENE HOSTS PRIAVATE UNIVERISTY HEADS (Page 20)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, has asked the Conference of Heads of Private Universities in Ghana (CHPUG), an association of private universities in the country, to ensure conformity of academic programmes in tertiary institutions under its umbrella.
This, he said, would enable such tertiary institutions to produce the required professionals for the development of the country.
Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng said this when he hosted members of the association to a luncheon at his Koforidua palace last Thursday.
The heads of the private universities were in the Eastern Regional capital for their usual quarterly meeting and also to plan for the association's annual conference scheduled to take place in Accra on March 14.
At the meeting, the newly-elected treasurer of CHPUG, Mr Peter Ackah, formally took over from his predecessor, Mr Kwame Antwi-Boasiako.
According to Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, although private universities were already producing good professionals and complementing government efforts of providing tertiary education in the country, it would be ideal if the CHPUG could come out with standardised academic programmes that would conform to all its member-institutions.
"Your role is vital because you have made it possible for all those who could not enter the public universities but you must come out with standardised academic programmes that will conform to the institutions under your umbrella," the New Juaben Omanhene stated.
He asked the CHPUG to continue to dialogue with the Accreditation Board of tertiary institutions to ensure good standards of academic programmes in their institutions.
The Chairman of CHPUG, who is also the President of the All Nations University, Rev (Dr) Samuel Donkor, gave the assurance that private universities would continue to produce good professionals for the country.
Rev (Dr) Donkor, who described Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, as a traditional ruler who cherished education, thanked him for hosting the group.
THE Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, has asked the Conference of Heads of Private Universities in Ghana (CHPUG), an association of private universities in the country, to ensure conformity of academic programmes in tertiary institutions under its umbrella.
This, he said, would enable such tertiary institutions to produce the required professionals for the development of the country.
Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng said this when he hosted members of the association to a luncheon at his Koforidua palace last Thursday.
The heads of the private universities were in the Eastern Regional capital for their usual quarterly meeting and also to plan for the association's annual conference scheduled to take place in Accra on March 14.
At the meeting, the newly-elected treasurer of CHPUG, Mr Peter Ackah, formally took over from his predecessor, Mr Kwame Antwi-Boasiako.
According to Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, although private universities were already producing good professionals and complementing government efforts of providing tertiary education in the country, it would be ideal if the CHPUG could come out with standardised academic programmes that would conform to all its member-institutions.
"Your role is vital because you have made it possible for all those who could not enter the public universities but you must come out with standardised academic programmes that will conform to the institutions under your umbrella," the New Juaben Omanhene stated.
He asked the CHPUG to continue to dialogue with the Accreditation Board of tertiary institutions to ensure good standards of academic programmes in their institutions.
The Chairman of CHPUG, who is also the President of the All Nations University, Rev (Dr) Samuel Donkor, gave the assurance that private universities would continue to produce good professionals for the country.
Rev (Dr) Donkor, who described Daasebre (Professor) Oti Boateng, as a traditional ruler who cherished education, thanked him for hosting the group.
POLITICIANS MUST LIVE PEACEFULLY (Page 16)
Story: A. Kofoya-Tetteh, Koforidua
THE Eastern Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, the Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwa has made a passionate appeal to leaders of the political parties not to do anything that would disturb the peace currently prevailing in the country.
He said since Ghana was now in its election year, there was the need for politicians to consider themselves as one people but with different views and that the best thing to do was for politicians to present such view to the people to make a choice.
The Reverend Ofori Amankwa, who is also the Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Pentecostal Council, made the appeal at a church service at Koforidua during which prayers were said for a peaceful election this year.
According to Reverend Ofori Amankwa, currently there was peace and tranquillity in the country and the best way to maintain it was for politicians from the political divide to see themselves as one people but not as enemies in whatever they do to win the hearts of the people to vote for them.
He, therefore, appealed to politicians not to do anything that would inflame tension in the course of their campaigns, adding that was the best way to avoid post-election political turmoil like what had occurred in some African countries.
“Ghana is a peaceful country and I appeal to our political leaders not to do anything that would disturb the peace we are currently enjoying,” he stated.
Reverend Ofori Amankwa who based his sermon on Nehemiah chapter 1, asked Ghanaians, especially Christians, to help one another, particularly the helpless, since that was the best way to please God.
He also asked those in authority not to pursue policies of favouritism but to consider all as equals, since God did not discriminate.
He asked Ghanaians to speak out against injustice in the system such as brutalities, which, he said, were mostly meted out by parents on their children.
THE Eastern Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, the Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwa has made a passionate appeal to leaders of the political parties not to do anything that would disturb the peace currently prevailing in the country.
He said since Ghana was now in its election year, there was the need for politicians to consider themselves as one people but with different views and that the best thing to do was for politicians to present such view to the people to make a choice.
The Reverend Ofori Amankwa, who is also the Eastern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Pentecostal Council, made the appeal at a church service at Koforidua during which prayers were said for a peaceful election this year.
According to Reverend Ofori Amankwa, currently there was peace and tranquillity in the country and the best way to maintain it was for politicians from the political divide to see themselves as one people but not as enemies in whatever they do to win the hearts of the people to vote for them.
He, therefore, appealed to politicians not to do anything that would inflame tension in the course of their campaigns, adding that was the best way to avoid post-election political turmoil like what had occurred in some African countries.
“Ghana is a peaceful country and I appeal to our political leaders not to do anything that would disturb the peace we are currently enjoying,” he stated.
Reverend Ofori Amankwa who based his sermon on Nehemiah chapter 1, asked Ghanaians, especially Christians, to help one another, particularly the helpless, since that was the best way to please God.
He also asked those in authority not to pursue policies of favouritism but to consider all as equals, since God did not discriminate.
He asked Ghanaians to speak out against injustice in the system such as brutalities, which, he said, were mostly meted out by parents on their children.
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