Ex- President Rawlings Commends Bill Clinton

Kotoko launch audacious bid for Stephen Appiah

Local Ghana giants Kumasi Asante Kotoko have launched an audacious bid to sign the club-less Ghana captain Stephen Appiah.

The Porcupine Warriors have made an offer to his Turkish club Fenerbahce to enable them sign the mercurial and inspirational midfielder.

The 28-year-old has been without a club since falling out with Fenerbahce over a botched knee surgery which kept him out of action for nearly one-year.

But since then he has recovered handsomely and led the Ghana national team to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Having completed the signing of Baffour Gyan from his Russia, Kotoko are convinced they can also do a deal for Appiah to return home at least on loan.

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Ghana Gear Up For England

Ghana’s Black Satellites are in upbeat mood following their 2-1 win over Uzbekistan at the U-20 World Cup on Saturday.

However their next task is to beat an England team who are licking their wounds after defeat at the hands of Uruguay.

Ghana came from a goal down to beat the Uzbeks who took the lead on at the start of the second half.

Ghana reacted and Ransford Osei drew them level on the hour.

Dominic Adiya scored Ghana’s winner with 15 minutes remaining.

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Ghana ‘Expected’ To Get US$150M By November

The Country Director of the World Bank Office in Ghana, Mr. Ishac Diwan has said Ghana will receive the next tranche of US$150 million budgetary support from the multilateral agency by middle of November.

In an interview with the B&FT, Mr. Diwan said the second half of the disbursement was predicated by government’s commitment to “hold the bull by the horn”.

He said that the multilateral agency required government to take certain actions some of which were to ensure that its budget was on track, prepare a financial recovery plan for the Electricity Company of Ghana, and the Volta River Authority as well as sending the Freedom of Information Bill, and Oil and Gas Bill to Parliament.

The amount is half of a US$300 million budgetary support from the World Bank.

He was hopeful that the amount would provide government the necessary momentum to put the economy in a better shape adding that the country has a big growth potential.

“A lot of foreign investors are showing in interest in Ghana now. Ghana is the most visible country in Africa.”

The Country Director noted that the biggest challenge confronting the Mills administration is stabilizing the macro-economic environment.

Mr. Diwan noted that at the core of the stabilization challenge is the need to reduce budget deficit from the high of 24%.

At the presentation of a supplementary budget of GH¢253m (US$175m) to Parliament, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor surprised markets with the admission that the budget deficit, they inherited from the previous government at the end of 2008, previously estimated in the region of 14.5% of GDP, had in fact ballooned to 24.2% of GDP.

While the extent of debt arrears had long been in question, the revised budget estimates for 2008 exceeded even the most bearish of analyst forecasts.

Mr. Diwan estimated that it would take government two years to reduce the deficit which he described as record high and must not be repeated.

”There are arrears of unpaid bills, some arising from works that contractors have executed. Government has between 2009 and 2011 to resolve these challenges.”

He lauded government’s intention to persist with the effort to narrow the deficit further, to single digit.

The Country Director said government is on course regarding the tracking of expenditure and monitoring of projects.

“It used to be done manually, but now a new system is being re-created to ensure that the tracking is done electronically. This is important in a situation where public information is not available.”

He was hopeful that the country would come out of the woods judging from the performance of the government so far.

“You will realize that beyond stability, the government is focusing on growth and creation of jobs. With regard to agriculture, the government is being ambitious with its policies on the sector.

“Plans to scale agriculture in the country like the introduction of commercial farming, the opening up of both the Accra and Afram Plains, and the production and cultivation of cereals in northern Ghana are quite ambitious.”

On the question of whether the World Bank plays a major role in the decisions of government, he answered: “We influence policy more on the technical level, at the political level we are not involved.”

Credit: B&FT

Traditional Way Of Making Akpeteshie (A Local Ghanaian Drink)

Anthony Bourdain, the host of MTV’s ‘No Reservations’ visited Ghana a few years ago and on this trip, he was taught how to make the local alcoholic drink, akpeteshie.

Mimi is Miss Ghana ‘09

Twenty-year-old Miss Mimi Areme, an HND Marketing student of the Sunyani Polytechnic, was in the early hours of Sunday morning elected Miss Ghana 2009 at the grand finale of the national pageant at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Among several freebies for her prize, Mimi drove home a new Tata Safari 4X4 car, whose keys were handed her by the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, moments after being decorated as Ghana’s 2009 beauty queen by 2008 winner, Miss Mawuse Appea.

For winning the ultimate, Mimi gets to represent Ghana in the Miss World Pageant. The car prize comes with a one-year servicing warranty from PHC Motors, plus she has a GHc200 monthly allowance for one year, 10 gallons of fuel per week for one year, four pieces of ATL fabric every month for one year and several other alluring indulgences.

Besides her poise and articulation, amplified by her beauty and regular smiles, Mimi was equally strong with her message, re-echoing US president Barack Obama’s challenge to Africa’s youth to take their destinies into their own hands and dare themselves to overcome whatever challenges confront the continent. And her emphatic “Yes we can!” admonishing resonated in the main auditorium as her many fans stood in brief applause.

Erica Maria Awini, a student of Psychology, Social Work and Religions at the University of Ghana emerged first runner-up and won for her prize a 32-inch Flat Screen Television, a set of furniture, prize money and three pieces of ATL fabric, while 23-year-old Ayishetu Dauda, a graduate of the University of Development Studies won Second runner-up. She also took home 29-inch Flat Screen Television, a portable fridge, a home theatre, prize money and a fabric from ATL.

Entertaining

In all 20 contestants (two from each region) were drawn into the grand finale, performing tasks in dressing, modeling, speaking, acting and answering questions from a panel of judges. There was a beach wear display, as well as evening gowns.

The event also turned out highly entertaining, with several of local hit artistes taking the stage to liven the night. They included the sexy Mzbel, the ever entertaining 4X4, VIP, the group RANA and Stephanie Benson, a Ghanaian based-in the UK. There was also a hilarious stand-up comedy by David Oscar.

Miss Ruweida Ibrahim, 21, a student of the Islamic University was adjudged Miss Talent and also the contestant with the most beautiful skin; 20-year-old Priscilla Asare also emerged as Miss Personality, while Alicia Osei Tutu, 22, was adjudged the contestant with the most beautiful hair. Twenty-two-year old Gifty Senam Gebu-Mensah of the All Nations University, Koforidua, won Miss Fitness, and she again, with 21-year-old UDS student, Sherifa Simdi Amadu were adjudged to have the most spectacular gowns.

Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com

Ghana Cited As A Destination For Europe’s Waste

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands — When two inspectors swung open the doors of a battered red shipping container here, they confronted a graveyard of Europe’s electronic waste — old wires, electricity meters, circuit boards — mixed with remnants of cardboard and plastic.

“This is supposed to be going to China, but it isn’t going anywhere,” said Arno Vink, an inspector from the Dutch environment ministry who impounded the container because of Europe’s strict new laws that place restrictions on all types of waste exports, from dirty pipes to broken computers to household trash. Exporting waste illegally to poor countries has become a vast and growing international business, as companies try to minimize the costs of new environmental laws, like those here, that tax waste or require that it be recycled or otherwise disposed of in an environmentally responsible way. Rotterdam, the busiest port in Europe, has unwittingly become Europe’s main external garbage chute, a gateway for trash bound for places like China, Indonesia, India and Africa. There, electronic waste and construction debris containing toxic chemicals are often dismantled by children at great cost to their health. Other garbage that is supposed to be recycled according to European law may be simply burned or left to rot, polluting air and water and releasing the heat-trapping gases linked to global warming.

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Gov’t Expresses Concern About Operations Of GBC

The Ministry of Information on Thursday expressed concern about the increasing spate of blunders that have characterised the coverage of major national events by the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Deputy Minister James Agyenim-Boateng expressed Government’s displeasure, especially with the Station’s failure to telecast live, President John Evans Atta Mills’ address to the on-going UN General Assembly after extensively promoting it.

“The Ministry is of the view that the National Broadcaster, which is funded by the Ghanaian taxpayer, and has received major equipment retooling at considerable cost to the taxpayer should not be showing disregard to its viewers.

“Over the last couple of months, GBC has failed to telecast live programmes it had assured the viewing public it will show. Mention can be made of the disappointment caused when GTV failed to telecast the Ghana-Japan friendly in Holland and the Ghana-Zambia friendly in London,” the statement said.

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All Black Affair – Two Great Parties, Same Day, Same City

For the first time in Toronto,  the best african promoters have joined force to bring you two big events on the same day. The choice is all yours this thanksgiving weekend.

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UN Secretary General commends, Mills and Ghanaians

From Benjamin Mensah, GNA Special Correspondent, New York

New York, Sept 23, GNA – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has lauded Ghana’s role in the maintenance of world peace by organising peaceful elections and contributing quality troops for UN peacekeeping missions. He also commended President John Atta Mills for his peace efforts, noting in particular his encouragement to Togo to follow the path of peace and ensure that forthcoming elections were free and fair. The Secretary General said this when President Mills, who arrived in New York on Tuesday to attend the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly, called on him at the UN headquarters in New York. Mr Koku Anyidoho, Director of Communications at the Office of the President, told journalists after a close door meeting that the Secretary General noted that the growth of Ghana’s democracy made it a beacon of democratic governance in the sub region and the African continent.

He said the Secretary General commended Brigadier-General Henry Anyidoho, Acting Head of the United Nations Mission in Darfur, for his professionalism.

President Mills said experience had shown that democracy was the path for the nation and that last year’s peaceful election was a result of the collective will of the people.

He said only a stable political environment could enable the government to pursue its programme of building a better Ghana and bring prosperity for all. President Mills will address the world body and hold talks with some of the leaders attending the meeting.

Source: GNA

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