In Nairobi, former President Kufuor was among dignitaries invited to participate in the launch of the new Kenyan constitution which replaces the current one drafted during the colonial era.

Former President Kufuor who initiated the peace process that ended the blood-letting in Kenya after their last elections in 2007 received rave reviews from the Kenyan media some of whom described him as “The Man Who Saved Kenya.”

In Dar-Es-Salam, former President Kufuor attended a meeting of the African Forum, a platform of former democratically elected heads of state in Africa of which he is a member.

The former President’s last visit was to Seoul where he took part in the second preparatory meeting of the Technical Committee that is drafting the agenda for the October meeting of the G-20 in Seoul.

Former President Kufuor is on the committee as representative of the Madrid Club, the largest gathering of formerly elected democratic heads of state across the world.

He said almost 20 months after the NDC led by Professor John Evan Atta Mills took office, little had been done to justify the Better Ghana promise he made to Ghanaians.

Nana Akufo Addo said the hardships Ghanaians were going through due to high increase in utility tariffs, was a clear indication that the government had failed.

The NPP flag bearer was addressing a rally at Kwabeng on Sunday to climax the party’s campaign activities towards the Atiwa by-election scheduled for Tuesday August 31.

The Atiwa by-election became necessary as a result of the death of its Member of Parliament (MP), Mr Kwasi Annoh Ankamah, a few weeks ago in London.

Nana Akufo-Addo, therefore, called on Ghanaians to show the NDC the exit come 2012, to pave way for the NPP to come and continue the good works it started.

He indicated that the only party that could change the fortunes of the country was the NPP considering its performance between 2001 and 2008.

Nana Akufo Addo said it was unfortunate that the National Health Insurance Scheme which was implemented by the NPP was no more functioning well.

The National Organizer of the NPP, Alhaji Moctar Bamba, on his part urged the electorate to vote massively for the NPP candidate, Mr Kwasi Amoako Attah, to continue the good work the late MP started.

He cautioned the NDC to desist from any acts that may mar the beauty of the election.

Mr Bamba said the NPP was ready to meet the NDC boot for boot in the upcoming by-election and beyond.

The rally attracted almost all the top hierarchy of the leading opposition party, including its General Secretary, Mr Owusu Afriyie, also known as ‘Sir John’.

Below are some of the images from the event. Pictures courtesy of GhanainToronto.com

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“Leadership is the key to unraveling the problems of Africa. With the right leadership good policies would be enacted that will create the right condition for economic growth, respect of the rule of law and a conducive atmosphere for business to thrive,” he said.

A statement signed by his Spokesperson Mr Frank Agyekum said Former President Kufuor was speaking at the world launch of ‘Why Africa is Poor and What Africans can do about it,’ a 400-page book written by Dr Greg Mills, the Executive Director of the Brenthurst Foundation of the Oppenheimer and Son Group.

The Former President, a member of the Board of Governors of the Foundation, said a major part of Africa’s problems was because people assumed leadership positions without being adequately prepared for it and therefore lacked the vision and drive to pursue policies that would inure to the benefit of their people.

“Studies of individual historic leaders exemplified in the likes of Biblical Moses, among others, would show conclusively that each one of them had come through relevant experiences to be imbued with epochal visions of great and abiding development of their nations.”

He said the time when people just jumped into leadership positions should be by-gone. Budding leaders must bide their time and go through the apprenticeship exposures and institutions to better prepare them to assume the rightful role expected of them.

Former President Kufuor said the African Union, in pursuit of Renaissance Africa, had launched the New Partnership for the African Peer Review Mechanism to hasten the adoption of good governance and leadership throughout the continent as the vehicle to hasten development to mainstream the continent into globalization.

“I believe Africa by these acts is taking the first steps to shake off poverty and must be supported to stay the course,” he said.

Former President Kufuor said the book would go a long way to enrich the literature on Africa’s development and recommend it for reading by policy analysts, academics, politicians, researchers and those interested in Africa’s development.

‘Why Africa is Poor and What Africans Can Do About’ is in three parts: The first part examines why African states have done comparatively badly. The book concludes that the overwhelming reason why this is so is because of bad policy decisions. Correspondingly, where African states have done much better, better policy and leadership, stronger and improved democracy have gone hand in hand.

The second aspect focuses on why some countries outside of Africa have done well in terms of human development and economic growth.

Third part looks at the tremendous opportunities in Africa in terms of demographic dividend and demand for its resources.

The proprietress of peace and Love orphanage was standing trial on four counts of neglect, operating an orphanage without a license and exposing a child to harm.

However delivering her ruling a while ago Justice Georgina Mensah Datsa says the state has failed to produce evidence to back their allegations

Speaking to Joy News immediately after her acquittal, Grace Omaboe could not hide her joy.

“I am free; I want to thank my God; I want to thank Jesus. He is the only person i will give thanks to.”

” I have been vindicated,” she said, accusing detractors of not following proceedings and hastily accusing her of what she has not done.

Source: Joy News

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, Principal Public Affairs Officer of WAEC, said that the results of various schools would be despatched through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education.

It said that candidates might access their results online from tomorrow, Tuesday, August 3.

The statement said 1,075 candidates had their subject results cancelled while 76 candidates had their entire result cancelled.

The affected candidates were involved in various examination irregularities.

These include bringing foreign materials into the examination hall, seeking/receiving help from non-candidates such as invigilators, supervisors and tearing parts of their question papers and answer booklets and collusion.

He underscored peace as pre-requisite for development and condemned terrorists and advised people, who did not want peace, to disabuse their minds of using violence as the only way to resolving problems.

President Mills made the remark during an interaction with Ghanaians resident in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, where he attended the three-day 15th Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which discussed largely the way forward for African countries and how to counter terrorist attacks that were surfacing in parts of the Continent.

The meeting was planned to discuss the role of Governments in ensuring maternal, infant and child health in the development of the African Continent, but the discussion of peace and security took centre-stage alongside the main summit theme in the wake of two separate bomb attacks that rocked Kampala city two weeks prior to the Summit.

The two suicide bombing incidents, linked to Somali al-Shabaab insurgents, were seen as retaliatory moves to disrupt the organisation of the Summit in Uganda for contributing troops to the Africa Mission in Somalia.

The Summit was nearly moved away from Uganda for security reasons, but for the strong posture put up by host President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who ensured the beefing up of security during the period of the Summit.

President Mills registered profound commendation for the Government of Uganda for its courage to hold the Summit despite the terrorist threats.

He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and condemned the dastardly acts that claimed the lives of 76 people.

Part of the recommendations of the Summit was to reinforce the AU Mission in Somalia for which Ghana was approached to make contributions.

President Mills said the Government was serious with its commitment to peace both at home and on the Continent, adding that peace should be the number one priority of all African nations.

“Peace is our number one priority, and when we are in the position, we should help our brothers and sisters who have been confronted with this scourge,” President Mills said.

He said Ghana was considering the request to contribute troops to the AU Mission in Somalia, and the final decision would be taken in consultation with the Ghana Armed Forces, based on the availability of human resources, equipment and the welfare of the soldiers.

President Mills applauded Ghanaian residents in Uganda for being law-abiding and said that despite the initial challenges his Government inherited the economy was taking shape and becoming buoyant and attractive to residents and investors.

He said he was running a non-partisan Government, explaining that his administration was working with diverse people across the political divide and invited those with the requisite skills, to come back home to support the national development process to build a Better Ghana.

“We are focused, and determined to achieve the ultimate aim of pulling our people out of the doldrums, so that the average Ghanaian can have the life he has dreamed of for years,” President Mills said.

On the issue of warm weather conditions back at home on which concerns were raised, President Mills said the Government was conscious of the need to make the environment friendly.

He said the Government was engaged in an eco-project involving the cleaning of the beaches, tree-planting to improve the green cover and a new programme to check the spread of malaria.

President Mills said such programmes would achieve the desired results only when the people kept their environment clean.

She said government had released funds for 60 per cent of the budget while development partners had pledged to support although there would be a gap of about GH¢20 million which had to be worked on.

Some of the development partners are UNFPA, UNICEF, DFID, CIDA and DANIDA.

Dr Bediako was speaking on the topic 93Population and Housing Census and the Role of the Media” at the launch of 2010 World Population Day under the theme 93Quality Data: A Tool for Effective Planning and Development”.

On July 11 every year the world commemorates World Population Day to focus on population and related issues that need attention, based on a chosen theme.

The global theme for this year is 93Everyone Counts” and the launch in Ghana was postponed because of the 2010 World cup Tournament in South Africa.

She gave the assurance that the government had made commitment to conduct the census and urged the private sector to contribute their quota with logistic support and funds.

Dr Bediako called on all and sundry to support financially, emotionally and mentally to make it a exercise.

On the census night, she could not announce the specific period but said it would be a Sunday and proposals had been submitted to government for approval.

Dr Bediako said census was one of the main sources of data within the national statistical system, adding 93every national statistical system must from time to time update its data base with a national census to ensure accuracy and relevance of the data systems”.

The Census would provide up-to-date socio economic data for planning at both the national and sub-national level, including data for the newly created districts and provide indicators to track the progress of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Others are to provide basic indicators for tracking government developmental policies and goals on education, health, housing and other issues.

Dr Bediako said the media had an onerous responsibility to sensitise and educate to galvanise the needed Ghanaian support to reinforce the message on the importance of the census on what the data required would assist government to achieve.

She noted that most people had made enquiries on the basis and the essence of the census because enumerators asked the same questions in previous censuses but had not realised any impact on their living standards.

Dr Bediako said some people used their religious beliefs and superstition about being counted to refrain from participating in the exercise, adding 93people should be found wanting and waiting to be interviewed, they should not move from their place of abode if they do not need to move, or should move to be identified with any particular location”.

She pointed out that not anyone in the household would be interviewed during the exercise but responsible adults while efforts would be made to count people in transit during the exercise.

On preparations towards the exercise, Dr Bediako said about 117,000 applications were received as enumerators out of which 60,000 would be employed.

She explained that 50,000 enumerators would be required while the remaining 10,000 would be on stand-by in case of emergencies.

Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information appealed to the media to endeavour to put issues on national development especially such a national exercise at the fore and politicising every issue at the background.

He pointed out that the needed impact on previous censuses conducted in the country had not been achieved and called on all and sundry and stakeholders to ensure the 2010 PHC made the needed impact on the people.

Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana said data was crucial as people strive for universal access to education, HIV prevention, treatment, care, support and reproductive health and achievement of the MDGs.

She said censuses were central to UNFA’s mandate and mission to support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that 93every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV and AIDS and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect”.

Ms Sandhu-Rojon pointed out that UNFPA asserted the right of everyone to be counted, especially girls, women, the poor and marginalised.

She noted that censuses and population data played a critical role in development and humanitarian response and recovery, adding 93with quality data we can better track and make greater progress to achieve MDGs, promote and protect the dignity and human rights of all people”.

Ms Marian Kpakpah, Acting Executive Director of National Population Council (NPC), said a critical component of the success of a census was the cooperation and understanding of the population to avail themselves in the conduct of such a massive national exercise and the media was best position top harness such support and cooperation among the public.

Mrs Zita Okaikoi, Minister of Tourism, said tourism contributed about 6.2 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year.

She was addressing a press conference on the two-day 2010 Ghana International Tourism Investment Forum (GITIF) scheduled for Accra from July 26-27.

The forum being organised as part of this year’s Emancipation Day celebration is under the theme: “Ghana-Time to Explore: The Role of the Investor in the Tourism Sector”.

Mrs Okaikoi said as a service sector, tourism was labour-intensive and a major job creator especially for young people, women and indigenous communities who host tourists and created direct and indirect employment to 260,000 Ghanaians in 2009.

She said third quarter investment report for 2009 indicated that out of new projects estimated at about 267.25 million dollars, investments in the tourism sector was 55.61 million the second after agriculture of 99.08 million dollars.

Mrs Okaikoi said the forum was expected to bring together local and international investors, practitioners, lecturers, and students of tourism to discuss the future of tourism industry in Ghana, stimulate investment in tourism to boost its development.

In addition, it would create a sustained forum for industry players to share ideas and exchange information on current issues and international best practices in the sector, while establishing a network of industry players for the benefit of Ghana’s tourism industry.

Mrs Okaikoi said participants at the forum would be given the opportunity to participate in some activities of the Emancipation Day Celebration such as the Assin Praso durbar on Friday, July 30, reverential night at Cape Coast and the grand durbar at Assin Manso on Saturday, July 31.

She called on Corporate Ghana, tourism and tourism related industry practitioners, the academia, Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies to participate in the forum.

“The Embassy has seen a 100 per cent to 200 per cent increase in the number of inquiries from American businesses seeking to do business in Ghana.

“This month two new airline services were inaugurated by American flag carriers flying direct to Ghana, tripling the number of direct flights between our countries each week from 6 to 18, and tripling the numbers of ports of entry for Ghanaians taking direct flights to the US: New York, Washington, and Atlanta.

“Ghanaian exporters can now take advantage of the increased cargo capacity that these flights provide, and more American investors can come to Ghana from the U.S.” a statement issued by the Embassy in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency stated.

According to the statement, between January and April this year, cocoa paste and cocoa powder exports to the US grew substantially following two significant US investments in state-of-the-art cocoa processing facilities last year in Kumasi, and the Tema Free Zones Area.

“These were multi-million dollar investments that employ hundreds of Ghanaians in highly skilled labor, and contributing significant tax revenues to the government of Ghana,” the statement explained.

The Embassy statement also considered trade and investment as two critical components of the two countries bilateral economic relations.

“Ghana exported 135 million dollar worth of products to the US last year, making America, Ghana’s fifth largest customer.

“Ghana imports 634 million dollar worth of products from the US each year, making America, Ghana’s fourth largest source of imports and in terms of Foreign Direct Investment in Ghana, Americans invested in 167 projects worth 2.5 billion dollars over the last 15 years,” the statement stated.