September 29, 2008 pg 34 (Feature)
By Musah Yahaya Jafaru
ACCORDING to reports by the Ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia, although Ghana is one of the countries with the smallest number of pilgrims (2,700), the country creates about 30 per cent of the problems in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the Hajj.
Indeed, countries with huge numbers of pilgrims ranging between 60, 0000 and 200,000, such as Indonesia, Turkey, Iran and India and neighbouring Nigeria organise their Hajj without any skirmishes.
This year the signs are already looking ominous as two bodies are entangled in a controversy over who has the mandate to organise this year’s Hajj.
Prospective pilgrims are thus confused as to whom they should pay their Hajj fares to. They are also at a loss as to the amount to pay, since the two groups have given different quotations.
The restructured National Hajj Council (NHC) which was formed following the recommendation by the National Hajj Conference held in Accra early this year claims that it has the mandate of 10 stakeholder organisations to organise the Hajj, but the Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC) constituted by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, insists that it has the authority of the National Chief Imam to organise the Hajj to, as it puts it, correct the mess created by the previous NHC and IHMC.
As if by design, the restructured National Hajj Council (NHC) quoted $2,999 as the Hajj fare while the Interim Hajj Management Committee (IHMC) constituted by the National Chief Imam fixed it at $3,100.
The IHMC says it has already entered into contracts with accommodation and transportation owners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that it had signed a contract with Egypt Air to lift the prospective pilgrims. Likewise, the NHC indicates that it has also arranged accommodation and transportation in Saudi Arabia, and that it is in agreement with Antrak Air to convey the would-be pilgrims.
In the heat of the differences, the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regional Committees of the NHC have since expressed their opposition to the formation of the IHMC, and asked the National Chief Imam to disassociate itself from the committee. The Northern Regional NHC has specifically threatened to organise the Hajj in that part of the country if the IHMC insists on organising the Hajj.
The Ghana Hajj Agents Association, on the other hand, has expressed its support for the formation of the IHMC, and indicated that its support “is rooted in the assurance by the IHMC to airlift the 728 paid passengers who were unable to embark on the trip last year”.
The National Chief Imam through his administrative secretary, was reported to have said that the only recognised body to organise this year’s Hajj is the IHMC.
He, therefore, called on the restructured National Hajj Council (NHC) to join the IHMC to manage the operations of this year’s pilgrimage, since his sole concern was to ensure sanity in the organisation of the Hajj to achieve the best for the Muslim community.
Reports indicate that two meetings convened by the Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, to iron out the differences between members of the NHC and IHMC ended without any agreement.
It is incumbent on members of the two groups in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and unity, the image of Islam and the plight of pilgrims to shun all egoistic tendencies and be guided by the fear of Allah and the feeling for the ‘poor’ prospective pilgrims who want to fulfil one of the five pillars of Islam.
The proposed combined team should enter into binding contracts with known airline operators and work towards improving the accommodation, transportation, health care and welfare of prospective pilgrims. The agreement signed by the IHMC with Egypt Air could be sustained since Egypt Air is a reliable airline when it comes to transporting pilgrims to and from Saudi Arabia.
The long-term measures to end the perennial disappointments in the organisation of Hajj in Ghana involves the restructuring of the NHC by bringing on board experienced personalities from relevant Muslim organisations. An advisory body could be constituted to regulate the operations of the proposed restructured NHC.
The Hajj should be pre-financed to avoid the reliance on the Hajj fares paid by prospective pilgrims which are not paid early enough.
Several Hajj boards constituted by the government in the past to organise the Hajj failed to live up to expectation. The Hajj board constituted to run the 2004/5 Hajj performed poorly, which led to the detention of Ghanaian pilgrims at the Jeddah Airport for about five days due to the non-payment of airport tax.
This failure prompted the Muslim community to impress on the government to give them full ownership of the organisation of the Hajj. The government agreed to this request, which led to the formation of the National Hajj Council (NHC) in 2005. The NHC which has representatives from four stakeholder organisations, namely the Office of the National Chief Imam (ONCI), the Ahlussunna Wal-Jama’a (ASWAJ), the Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana (COMOG) and the Federation of Women Association in Ghana (FOMWAG), is supposed to be a permanent body to run the Hajj.
The NHC organised an improved Hajj in 2005, barely three months after its formation. The NHC, however, slacked in the 2006 Hajj, resulting in the inability of 499 prospective pilgrims to be airlifted to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj.
The inability of the NHC to airlift the 499 somewhat incurred the wrath of the Muslim community, and resulted in the formation of the Ghana Pilgrimage Organisation (GPO).
The entrenched stands by the two bodies generated tension in the Muslim community, which made the National Chief Imam to ask the NHC and the GPO to stay out of the organisation of the Hajj and constituted an Interim Hajj Management Committee.
The committee signed a contract with an unfamiliar airline (Al-Alama), which arrived in the country very late and that compelled prospective pilgrims to sleep in the open at the Aviation Social Centre for about 11 days.
The government had to intervene and request the Ministry of Hajj Affairs in Mecca to extend the closing date of the Jeddah Airport.
About 229 prospective pilgrims were left behind and this figure plus the 499 disappointed pilgrims in 2006 brings the number of disappointed pilgrims for the two previous Hajj to 728.
There are several lingering questions that need answers, with regard to the poor organisation of Hajj in Ghana and the ‘rush’ by many individuals to organise the Hajj.
Are the people fighting over the mandate to organise the Hajj doing so for the interest of Islam and the nation or for their own personal gains, since reports indicate that the Hajj operation is a ‘gold mine’, where organisers cash in on poor pilgrims?
There are also reports of formidable forces with strong connections who impose their will on the Muslim community during the selection of people to organise the Hajj.
Are such people helping the course of Islam or rather advancing their own selfish interests and flexing their muscles because of their perceived stature in society and so-called connection?
Some of the lapses affecting the smooth organisation of Hajj in the country are the lack of consensus among Muslims in decision-taking, the lack of well-defined structures for the Muslim leadership to take all-binding decisions on behalf of the Muslim community, the imposition of the will of the privileged few on the larger Muslim society, competing personal interests among Muslim organisations and impatience in the correction of mistakes.
It is barely three months to the observance of this year’s Hajj, and that puts the organisation of the Hajj in a state of quagmire since prospective pilgrims are still not certain about which of the two bodies has the mandate to organise the Hajj. Ghanaians are now sick and tired of the ritual Hajj Palava.
The short-term solution to the current impasse is for the two bodies, the NHC and the IHMC to iron out their differences and come together to organise the Hajj.
It is about time the stakeholder organisations in the Muslim community, namely sat down to resolve this ‘shameful’ spectacle of poor Hajj organisation in the country once and for all.
And if indeed there are strong forces who thwart efforts at bringing sanity into the organisation of Hajj, they should be warned that Allah will judge them accordingly.
Enough is enough for the suffering pilgrims. It is now time for Ghanaian pilgrims to enjoy some peace in the performance of their religious duty.
Monday, September 29, 2008
'Don't vote for candidate who engages in campaign of insults'
September 29, 2008 pg 17
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
AN Anglican Priest, Rev. Father Dr Emmanuel Oddoye, has charged Ghanaians not to vote for any presidential candidate who engages in a campaign of insults, character assassination and lies.
“We will need to support politicians who run a decent campaign devoid of lies and other untruths and who do not speak ill of their opponents. In so doing we would eventually support and elect a leader who will govern this nation in the knowledge and fear of God”, he stressed.
Rev. Dr Oddoye was speaking on the “Role of Christian Youth in Nation Building” at the 11th biennial diocesan delegates conference of the Anglican Young People’s Association (AYPA) at Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region.
The three-day conference was to afford the AYPA members the opportunity to review their activities for the year and draw up new programmes for the coming year.
Rev. Dr Oddoye expressed worry that for most people, politics was a dirty game and needed to be avoided, and indicated that “politics need not be dirty”.
“The question we ask ourselves is: If we allow those who play dirty to keep dominating politics, do we have a moral right to ask for a good, God-fearing leader?” he queried.
Touching on morality, Rev. Dr Oddoye bemoaned the increased indiscipline, corruption, illegal connection and nepotism in the country, and said those negative trends would defeat efforts at propelling the development of the country.
For instance, he said, some people steal electric and telephone cables, while others tap into water and electricity illegally, thus robbing the agencies that run those services of income.
Rev. Dr Oddoye said people needed to bribe public officials before they processed their documents, and noted that some public officials took 10 per cent bribe of the contract sum before a contract was awarded.
The result, he said, was that the contract would not be well executed as the contractor had 10 per cent less to work with.
He said the creeping corruption in the country was the result of covetousness and pressure from spouses while in the case of young women, it was the desire to outdo one another.
He said tribalism and nepotism were two ills which were causing a lot of havoc to the country, with family members getting unmeritorious job offers.
Rev. Dr Oddoye lamented how some ‘big men’ demanded sexual favours from female job applicants and “get away with it”.
He called for justice for all in all spheres of life be it in the home, church, work and guilds.
Rev. Dr Oddoye said Ghana needed manpower with the correct moral fibre and dedication to duty, whether in the civil service, public service or private sector.
He, therefore, challenged the Christian youth to be at the forefront of efforts to clean up the system, adding: “Do not corrupt yourselves and when you can, try to prevent others from being corrupt”.
The Diocesan President of the AYPA, Mr Charles Pappoe, said the development of the youth in the Anglican Church was dear to the AYPA, and asked that the youth be put at the epicentre of any activity.
He expressed the hope that at the end of the conference, members would be able to find the niche in which to place the youth in the broad effort of contributing their quota to the development of the nation.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Eric Oduro Konadu, who chaired the function, asked the youth to make judicious use of their time and not to be daunted by any obstacles in their lives.
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
AN Anglican Priest, Rev. Father Dr Emmanuel Oddoye, has charged Ghanaians not to vote for any presidential candidate who engages in a campaign of insults, character assassination and lies.
“We will need to support politicians who run a decent campaign devoid of lies and other untruths and who do not speak ill of their opponents. In so doing we would eventually support and elect a leader who will govern this nation in the knowledge and fear of God”, he stressed.
Rev. Dr Oddoye was speaking on the “Role of Christian Youth in Nation Building” at the 11th biennial diocesan delegates conference of the Anglican Young People’s Association (AYPA) at Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region.
The three-day conference was to afford the AYPA members the opportunity to review their activities for the year and draw up new programmes for the coming year.
Rev. Dr Oddoye expressed worry that for most people, politics was a dirty game and needed to be avoided, and indicated that “politics need not be dirty”.
“The question we ask ourselves is: If we allow those who play dirty to keep dominating politics, do we have a moral right to ask for a good, God-fearing leader?” he queried.
Touching on morality, Rev. Dr Oddoye bemoaned the increased indiscipline, corruption, illegal connection and nepotism in the country, and said those negative trends would defeat efforts at propelling the development of the country.
For instance, he said, some people steal electric and telephone cables, while others tap into water and electricity illegally, thus robbing the agencies that run those services of income.
Rev. Dr Oddoye said people needed to bribe public officials before they processed their documents, and noted that some public officials took 10 per cent bribe of the contract sum before a contract was awarded.
The result, he said, was that the contract would not be well executed as the contractor had 10 per cent less to work with.
He said the creeping corruption in the country was the result of covetousness and pressure from spouses while in the case of young women, it was the desire to outdo one another.
He said tribalism and nepotism were two ills which were causing a lot of havoc to the country, with family members getting unmeritorious job offers.
Rev. Dr Oddoye lamented how some ‘big men’ demanded sexual favours from female job applicants and “get away with it”.
He called for justice for all in all spheres of life be it in the home, church, work and guilds.
Rev. Dr Oddoye said Ghana needed manpower with the correct moral fibre and dedication to duty, whether in the civil service, public service or private sector.
He, therefore, challenged the Christian youth to be at the forefront of efforts to clean up the system, adding: “Do not corrupt yourselves and when you can, try to prevent others from being corrupt”.
The Diocesan President of the AYPA, Mr Charles Pappoe, said the development of the youth in the Anglican Church was dear to the AYPA, and asked that the youth be put at the epicentre of any activity.
He expressed the hope that at the end of the conference, members would be able to find the niche in which to place the youth in the broad effort of contributing their quota to the development of the nation.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Eric Oduro Konadu, who chaired the function, asked the youth to make judicious use of their time and not to be daunted by any obstacles in their lives.
Glefe tidal wave victims get support
September 27, 2008 pg 19
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE government yesterday donated food and other items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to the victims of the recent tidal waves at Glefe in Accra, with a commitment to build a sea defence wall there.
The items included 100 bags of maize, 30 bags of rice, 100 pieces of plastic buckets and five bales of second-hand clothes.
The Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, made the donation during an inspection tour of the area.
He was accompanied by officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Dr Addo-Kufuor said the items were to help ease the food burden on and other domestic needs of the victims.
He said the government would make efforts to build a sea defence wall to save the people from the effects of tidal waves.
He gave the assurance that the government would continue to support the people.
He, therefore, asked them to collaborate with the government in efforts at safeguarding their lives.
In a related development, Dr Addo-Kufuor visited one of the victims of the tidal waves, Madam Adjoa Hemaa, 65, who has had her right leg amputated, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He donated GH¢200 towards her medical bills.
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE government yesterday donated food and other items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to the victims of the recent tidal waves at Glefe in Accra, with a commitment to build a sea defence wall there.
The items included 100 bags of maize, 30 bags of rice, 100 pieces of plastic buckets and five bales of second-hand clothes.
The Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, made the donation during an inspection tour of the area.
He was accompanied by officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Dr Addo-Kufuor said the items were to help ease the food burden on and other domestic needs of the victims.
He said the government would make efforts to build a sea defence wall to save the people from the effects of tidal waves.
He gave the assurance that the government would continue to support the people.
He, therefore, asked them to collaborate with the government in efforts at safeguarding their lives.
In a related development, Dr Addo-Kufuor visited one of the victims of the tidal waves, Madam Adjoa Hemaa, 65, who has had her right leg amputated, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He donated GH¢200 towards her medical bills.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Politicians visit scene of disaster
September 24, 2008 pg 17
Story: Naa Lamiley Bentil & Musah Yahaya Jafaru
A NUMBER of politicians yesterday visited the Kantamanto Traders Market in Accra to express sympathy to the victims of the fire that razed about 600 stores.
They are the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. John Evans Atta Mills; the flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom; Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer; Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of the NPP running mate; and Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. Earlier, Mr John Mahama, the NDC running mate, had been there as soon as news of the fire broke.
Prof. Atta Mills accompanied by some party officials, sympathised with the traders for the loss of their property.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom also visited the fire scene and sympathised with the victims. Dr Nduom who was on his way to the Central Region, promised to donate to the victims upon his return to Accra and urged the leadership of the people in the market to contact his office for the donation.
He also appealed to the government to restructure all the markets in the country to prevent such incidence and ensure that fire engines had easy access to markets in the event of a fire outbreak.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said she was saddened by the news of the fire outbreak, since it had destroyed the source of livelihood for many people.
She assured the traders that she would consult with Nana Akufo-Addo for possible assistance to be extended to them.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said it was the dream of her husband to improve the state of markets in the country when given the mandate to be next President of Ghana.
Mrs Bawumia expressed sympathy to the victims of the fire and asked for vote for the NPP to come to power to enable it to modernise the markets.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the fire outbreak should be happening years ago but not now.
He said an Akufo-Addo government would move the country from the third world status to first world status.
Katamanto fire (gen.)
The government has promised to financially assist traders whose shops were razed by fire at the Kantamanto market in Accra on Monday evening.
The traders mostly cassette, leather sellers as well as seamstresses, hairdressers and barbers lost their equipment and money in the inferno which swept through the market.
The Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, announced the support when he interacted with the affected traders at the market yesterday.
The government, he said, would not be able to give to each trader the exact amount of money that was lost as a result of the fire outbreak but would do its best to ensure that the traders got the needed support to enable them to bounce back to business.
He said it was unfortunate that the traders had not insured their goods, adding that if they had done so, it would have been much easier for them to restart their businesses.
Consequently, Mr Adjei Darko advised them to insure their goods in the future so that in situations such as this one, they would have something to rely on.
The Minister who was accompanied by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, to sympathise with the traders also cautioned them against illegal electricity connection which, according to him, also contributed to the perennial fire outbreaks.
Mr Adjiri-Blankson directed the affected traders to come to the office of the AMA on Wednesday with the list of items that they lost in the fire to enable the government to plan the support.
Story: Naa Lamiley Bentil & Musah Yahaya Jafaru
A NUMBER of politicians yesterday visited the Kantamanto Traders Market in Accra to express sympathy to the victims of the fire that razed about 600 stores.
They are the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. John Evans Atta Mills; the flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom; Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer; Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of the NPP running mate; and Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. Earlier, Mr John Mahama, the NDC running mate, had been there as soon as news of the fire broke.
Prof. Atta Mills accompanied by some party officials, sympathised with the traders for the loss of their property.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom also visited the fire scene and sympathised with the victims. Dr Nduom who was on his way to the Central Region, promised to donate to the victims upon his return to Accra and urged the leadership of the people in the market to contact his office for the donation.
He also appealed to the government to restructure all the markets in the country to prevent such incidence and ensure that fire engines had easy access to markets in the event of a fire outbreak.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said she was saddened by the news of the fire outbreak, since it had destroyed the source of livelihood for many people.
She assured the traders that she would consult with Nana Akufo-Addo for possible assistance to be extended to them.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said it was the dream of her husband to improve the state of markets in the country when given the mandate to be next President of Ghana.
Mrs Bawumia expressed sympathy to the victims of the fire and asked for vote for the NPP to come to power to enable it to modernise the markets.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the fire outbreak should be happening years ago but not now.
He said an Akufo-Addo government would move the country from the third world status to first world status.
Katamanto fire (gen.)
The government has promised to financially assist traders whose shops were razed by fire at the Kantamanto market in Accra on Monday evening.
The traders mostly cassette, leather sellers as well as seamstresses, hairdressers and barbers lost their equipment and money in the inferno which swept through the market.
The Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, announced the support when he interacted with the affected traders at the market yesterday.
The government, he said, would not be able to give to each trader the exact amount of money that was lost as a result of the fire outbreak but would do its best to ensure that the traders got the needed support to enable them to bounce back to business.
He said it was unfortunate that the traders had not insured their goods, adding that if they had done so, it would have been much easier for them to restart their businesses.
Consequently, Mr Adjei Darko advised them to insure their goods in the future so that in situations such as this one, they would have something to rely on.
The Minister who was accompanied by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive, Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson, to sympathise with the traders also cautioned them against illegal electricity connection which, according to him, also contributed to the perennial fire outbreaks.
Mr Adjiri-Blankson directed the affected traders to come to the office of the AMA on Wednesday with the list of items that they lost in the fire to enable the government to plan the support.
Fire destroys shops at Kantamanto
September 24, 2008 Centre Spread
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
FIRE swept through more than 600 stores and shops at the Kantamanto Market in Accra on Monday night, destroying property running into thousands of Ghana cedis.
Some of the property consumed included sewing materials, sandals, second-hand goods, audio and video cassettes and discs, shoes, as well as tailoring shops, hairdressing salons, drinking and chop bars.
The fire, which started at 7.00 p.m., raged for many hours before it was put under control by a contingent of eight fire tenders supported by three water tankers.
The attempts by the fire officers to extinguish the raging fire were obstructed by the tables packed along the access road to the fire spot by traders.
The fire, which burnt electric poles and cables, kept burning as the fire officers struggled to create alternative routes to the spot.
Divisional Officer Grade Two, Michael Gabianu, the Metro Fire Officer at the Accra City Fire Station, told the Daily Graphic that the eight fire tenders and three tankers that got to the scene were forced to stand in a row, supplying only the fire tender in front to fight the fire, rendering attempts to fight the fire from all angles impossible.
He said the fire officers had to create alternative routes before they could get to the fire spot.
Divisional Officer Gabianu said the intensity of the fire increased as a result of the presence of combustible materials, such as gas cylinders, at the market.
He said his outfit had begun investigations to establish the cause of the fire and cited overloading of circuits, power fluctuation and cooking in the midst of combustible materials as some of the possible causes.
Some of the distraught victims told the Daily Graphic that some people cashed in on the situation to steal some of the few goods that the victims managed to retrieve.
The police officers present could not contain the situation and the military were brought in to complement their work of preventing thievery and ensuring order at the place.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire was still smouldering.
Some of the victims were seen shedding tears, while others were being supported by relatives and friends to clear the rubble.
One of the victims, Mr Eric Twumasi, said all the traders had not insured their stores and indicated that insurance companies had refused to insure his stores because of the lack of access routes to the place.
Some of them told this reporter that they would look for some money to start the business, since they had several dependants, adding that they did not anticipate any help from any quarter.
Some young men who deal in scrap were also seen collecting metals from the rubble of sewing machines, refrigerators and pressing irons.
The Metro Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Henry Nii Lante Plange, said his outfit would collaborate with the government to consider assisting the traders to put up temporary structures.
The wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo; Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of the running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo; and Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey were at the market to sympathise with the traders.
The three expressed their sympathies to the victims and gave the indications that they would consult with Nana Akufo-Addo on how the government could support the victims of the fire to start their respective businesses.
The running mate to the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Mahama, was reported to have gone to the scene to sympathise with the victims of the fire.
In a related development, the government said it had learnt “with shock and dismay a fire outbreak at the Kantamanto Market in Accra which has engulfed the property of a number of people in the area”.
A press statement signed by the Government Spokesperson, Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, said the government had expressed its sympathy to all affected persons and promised to investigate the matter as early as possible and also come up with any form of assistance it could mobilise within the circumstances.
“At a time when the government is providing a conducive atmosphere for individual businessmen and women to go about their businesses in a peaceful manner, it is unfortunate that disaster in the form of a fire outbreak should occur to destroy the efforts of the good people of the country,” the statement said.
It appealed to all persons affected by the fire outbreak to remain calm and also note that the government greatly sympathised with them and would do everything to come to their aid.
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
FIRE swept through more than 600 stores and shops at the Kantamanto Market in Accra on Monday night, destroying property running into thousands of Ghana cedis.
Some of the property consumed included sewing materials, sandals, second-hand goods, audio and video cassettes and discs, shoes, as well as tailoring shops, hairdressing salons, drinking and chop bars.
The fire, which started at 7.00 p.m., raged for many hours before it was put under control by a contingent of eight fire tenders supported by three water tankers.
The attempts by the fire officers to extinguish the raging fire were obstructed by the tables packed along the access road to the fire spot by traders.
The fire, which burnt electric poles and cables, kept burning as the fire officers struggled to create alternative routes to the spot.
Divisional Officer Grade Two, Michael Gabianu, the Metro Fire Officer at the Accra City Fire Station, told the Daily Graphic that the eight fire tenders and three tankers that got to the scene were forced to stand in a row, supplying only the fire tender in front to fight the fire, rendering attempts to fight the fire from all angles impossible.
He said the fire officers had to create alternative routes before they could get to the fire spot.
Divisional Officer Gabianu said the intensity of the fire increased as a result of the presence of combustible materials, such as gas cylinders, at the market.
He said his outfit had begun investigations to establish the cause of the fire and cited overloading of circuits, power fluctuation and cooking in the midst of combustible materials as some of the possible causes.
Some of the distraught victims told the Daily Graphic that some people cashed in on the situation to steal some of the few goods that the victims managed to retrieve.
The police officers present could not contain the situation and the military were brought in to complement their work of preventing thievery and ensuring order at the place.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire was still smouldering.
Some of the victims were seen shedding tears, while others were being supported by relatives and friends to clear the rubble.
One of the victims, Mr Eric Twumasi, said all the traders had not insured their stores and indicated that insurance companies had refused to insure his stores because of the lack of access routes to the place.
Some of them told this reporter that they would look for some money to start the business, since they had several dependants, adding that they did not anticipate any help from any quarter.
Some young men who deal in scrap were also seen collecting metals from the rubble of sewing machines, refrigerators and pressing irons.
The Metro Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Henry Nii Lante Plange, said his outfit would collaborate with the government to consider assisting the traders to put up temporary structures.
The wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo; Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of the running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo; and Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey were at the market to sympathise with the traders.
The three expressed their sympathies to the victims and gave the indications that they would consult with Nana Akufo-Addo on how the government could support the victims of the fire to start their respective businesses.
The running mate to the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Mahama, was reported to have gone to the scene to sympathise with the victims of the fire.
In a related development, the government said it had learnt “with shock and dismay a fire outbreak at the Kantamanto Market in Accra which has engulfed the property of a number of people in the area”.
A press statement signed by the Government Spokesperson, Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako, said the government had expressed its sympathy to all affected persons and promised to investigate the matter as early as possible and also come up with any form of assistance it could mobilise within the circumstances.
“At a time when the government is providing a conducive atmosphere for individual businessmen and women to go about their businesses in a peaceful manner, it is unfortunate that disaster in the form of a fire outbreak should occur to destroy the efforts of the good people of the country,” the statement said.
It appealed to all persons affected by the fire outbreak to remain calm and also note that the government greatly sympathised with them and would do everything to come to their aid.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
World Islamic Call Society supports Muslims
September 23, 2008 pg 30
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE World Islamic Call Society (WICS)-Ghana Bureau, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated food items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to needy, orphans and disabled Muslims in Accra.
The donation was to assist the beneficiaries, drawn from Nima, Maamobi, Abeka and Zongo, to observe the Ramadan fast with ease.
The items included bags of rice, cartons of tomato paste and cooking oil.
The Public Relations Officer of the WICS, Sheikh Mohammed Ghazali, said the donation was in response to Allah’s command to Muslims to reach out to the needy and orphans always, especially during the fast period.
Sheikh Ghazali urged Muslims to let the virtues of patience, tolerance and fellow feeling that they had imbibed during the Ramadan to reflect in their lives after the fast period.
That, he said, was the only way they would become true Muslims who would contribute to the socio-economic development of their respective communities and the nation at large.
On the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, Sheikh Ghazali asked Muslims to avoid violence before, during and after the elections.
Sheikh Ghazali commended the Libyan Leader, Mu'ammar Al-Qathafi, for his continuous support to Muslims and his lead role to bring unity on the African continent.
An Islamic scholar and Imam, Sheikh Hussein Zakaria, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Libyan Leader Mu'ammar Al-Qathafi for funding the food donation through the WICS.
He said the food would go a long way in helping the beneficiaries to observe the fast without much difficulty.
In a related development, two Qur’anic memorisers from Libya, Sheikh Mohammed Maghrib and Sheikh Khalid Khalifat, have finished their religious tour of the country.
Pix: Alhaji Ahmed Ashur (2nd left), the Financial Administrator of the World Islamic Call Society (WICS)-Ghana Bureau, donating the food items to Sheikh Hussein Zakaria, an Islamic scholar (3rd left). Looking on are (from left to right) Sheikh Mohammed Ghazali, the Public Relations Officer of the WICS; Sheikh Khalid Khalifat and Sheikh Mohammed Maghrib, both Qur’anic memorisers from Libya.
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE World Islamic Call Society (WICS)-Ghana Bureau, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated food items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to needy, orphans and disabled Muslims in Accra.
The donation was to assist the beneficiaries, drawn from Nima, Maamobi, Abeka and Zongo, to observe the Ramadan fast with ease.
The items included bags of rice, cartons of tomato paste and cooking oil.
The Public Relations Officer of the WICS, Sheikh Mohammed Ghazali, said the donation was in response to Allah’s command to Muslims to reach out to the needy and orphans always, especially during the fast period.
Sheikh Ghazali urged Muslims to let the virtues of patience, tolerance and fellow feeling that they had imbibed during the Ramadan to reflect in their lives after the fast period.
That, he said, was the only way they would become true Muslims who would contribute to the socio-economic development of their respective communities and the nation at large.
On the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, Sheikh Ghazali asked Muslims to avoid violence before, during and after the elections.
Sheikh Ghazali commended the Libyan Leader, Mu'ammar Al-Qathafi, for his continuous support to Muslims and his lead role to bring unity on the African continent.
An Islamic scholar and Imam, Sheikh Hussein Zakaria, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the Libyan Leader Mu'ammar Al-Qathafi for funding the food donation through the WICS.
He said the food would go a long way in helping the beneficiaries to observe the fast without much difficulty.
In a related development, two Qur’anic memorisers from Libya, Sheikh Mohammed Maghrib and Sheikh Khalid Khalifat, have finished their religious tour of the country.
Pix: Alhaji Ahmed Ashur (2nd left), the Financial Administrator of the World Islamic Call Society (WICS)-Ghana Bureau, donating the food items to Sheikh Hussein Zakaria, an Islamic scholar (3rd left). Looking on are (from left to right) Sheikh Mohammed Ghazali, the Public Relations Officer of the WICS; Sheikh Khalid Khalifat and Sheikh Mohammed Maghrib, both Qur’anic memorisers from Libya.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Prepaid water metres for MDAs
September 22, 2008 pg 44
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is to install prepaid meters in all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), beginning from next year.
The company will also supply prepaid meters to 25,000 of its customers, including pure water producers, hotels, commercial and domestic consumers.
Consequently, the GWCL has submitted an implementation action plan to the government for funding.
The Principal Economist in charge of the Corporation Planning Department of the GWCL, Mr Kwaku Duah-Agyeman, said the replacement of credit meters with prepaid ones was to reduce waste in the use of water, cut costs and ensure reliability in the supply of water.
He was contributing to a discussion at a workshop to disseminate the preliminary findings of a study on water and environmental management in Accra last Thursday.
The study — "Issues influencing values attached to pricing of potable water" — was conducted by the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), a network of scientists, policy makers, business men and media personnel.
The study was conducted at La and Asigbekope in the Greater Accra Region and Abura and Abeyie in the Central Region. Respondents were asked questions ranging from the availability, quality, price and proximity of sources of water.
Mr Duah-Agyeman indicated that the pilot project, which saw the GWCL supplying prepaid meters to 5,000 customers in Tema and Ashaiman in 2000, had reduced the supply of water to those areas by 41 per cent.
He said with the prepaid meters, the customers were able to manage the use of water, since they knew wastage would go into their credit.
Mr Duah-Agyeman said the prepaid meters would be fixed on walls in the premises and put under lock and key to prevent anybody from tampering with them.
He said customers would be issued with rechargeable credit cards for them to pay in advance the amount of water they needed for a specific time.
Mr Duah-Agyeman explained that the use of the prepaid metres would reduce waste in the use of water and make it possible for the GWCL to supply the conserved water to other customers.
"Consumers will be more responsible, economise and be prudent in the use of water," he stressed.
According to him, the GWCL initially presented the concept paper to the government, saying the government had supported the idea and asked for the implementation action plan which the company had submitted.
He said the company might go into a public-private partnership to install the prepaid meters if the government could not solely fund the project, estimated at thousands of Ghana cedis.
Earlier, the National Co-ordinator of the ATPS, Dr Frederick Amu Mensah, who presented the findings of the study, said the results showed that the quality of and access to potable water had decreased in the country.
He mentioned the wearing of underground pipes and inadequate infrastructure as the causes of the poor quality in water supply.
He said the study indicated that many people used rain water but did not have facilities to harvest it.
It also showed that many people were ready to pay for quality, reasonable cost and sustainable water supply, and that availability, quality, pricing and proximity affected people's choice of water sources.
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is to install prepaid meters in all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), beginning from next year.
The company will also supply prepaid meters to 25,000 of its customers, including pure water producers, hotels, commercial and domestic consumers.
Consequently, the GWCL has submitted an implementation action plan to the government for funding.
The Principal Economist in charge of the Corporation Planning Department of the GWCL, Mr Kwaku Duah-Agyeman, said the replacement of credit meters with prepaid ones was to reduce waste in the use of water, cut costs and ensure reliability in the supply of water.
He was contributing to a discussion at a workshop to disseminate the preliminary findings of a study on water and environmental management in Accra last Thursday.
The study — "Issues influencing values attached to pricing of potable water" — was conducted by the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), a network of scientists, policy makers, business men and media personnel.
The study was conducted at La and Asigbekope in the Greater Accra Region and Abura and Abeyie in the Central Region. Respondents were asked questions ranging from the availability, quality, price and proximity of sources of water.
Mr Duah-Agyeman indicated that the pilot project, which saw the GWCL supplying prepaid meters to 5,000 customers in Tema and Ashaiman in 2000, had reduced the supply of water to those areas by 41 per cent.
He said with the prepaid meters, the customers were able to manage the use of water, since they knew wastage would go into their credit.
Mr Duah-Agyeman said the prepaid meters would be fixed on walls in the premises and put under lock and key to prevent anybody from tampering with them.
He said customers would be issued with rechargeable credit cards for them to pay in advance the amount of water they needed for a specific time.
Mr Duah-Agyeman explained that the use of the prepaid metres would reduce waste in the use of water and make it possible for the GWCL to supply the conserved water to other customers.
"Consumers will be more responsible, economise and be prudent in the use of water," he stressed.
According to him, the GWCL initially presented the concept paper to the government, saying the government had supported the idea and asked for the implementation action plan which the company had submitted.
He said the company might go into a public-private partnership to install the prepaid meters if the government could not solely fund the project, estimated at thousands of Ghana cedis.
Earlier, the National Co-ordinator of the ATPS, Dr Frederick Amu Mensah, who presented the findings of the study, said the results showed that the quality of and access to potable water had decreased in the country.
He mentioned the wearing of underground pipes and inadequate infrastructure as the causes of the poor quality in water supply.
He said the study indicated that many people used rain water but did not have facilities to harvest it.
It also showed that many people were ready to pay for quality, reasonable cost and sustainable water supply, and that availability, quality, pricing and proximity affected people's choice of water sources.
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