Authorities of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has committed resources to expand its Distance and e-Learning Programmes, Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice-Chancellor, has announced.

The move, he said, aimed at offering more opportunities for science and technology education, stressing that currently a total of 475 students were studying for various degrees via the distance learning mode.

Prof. Ellis was addressing the 2010 matriculation ceremony of the university in Kumasi at the weekend.

A total of 7,014 students including 5,004 males were admitted with 241 students coming from less-endowed Senior High Schools (SHS).

The Vice Chancellor reminded the students that the Ghanaian society in general was bedeviled with varied socio-economic and technological challenges which had over the years impeded the country’s development.

University students, he said, should therefore embark on a lot of research and studies to acquire the needed skills, knowledge and attitude to solve those societal problems.

Prof. Ellis gave the assurance that KNUST which was the foremost science and technology institution in the country had planned to evolve innovative programmes to achieve the development goals of the nation.

He cautioned the students to be law-abiding since the university authorities would not hesitate to deal with any deviant behaviour.

Source: GNA

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Ghana has been without a head coach since Milovan Rajevac refused to renew his contract, after the 3-0 victory over Swaziland in the first match of the qualifiers.

Fred Pappoe, Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee told the GNA Sports in an interview in Accra on Thursday.

The Stars Management Member said the GFA is still in the process of appointing a substantive coach for the team, adding that it will be impossible to have one before the Stars take on Sudan on October 10.

“We cannot appoint a coach before October 10, because of the processes involved.

“The time is just too short for us to settle on the right candidate, because we have to take time to scan through the CV’s of over 50 applicants, conduct interviews and investigate their background before giving any candidate the nod as the head coach of the Black Stars”. He said.

Pappoe said the FA will also contact the referees of any of the candidates that will be selected for their recommendations and this he said requires a lot of time and makes the process an elaborate one.

He said that the FA is bent on going through the entire process thoroughly in a bid to settle on the best coach for the Black Stars to continue with its winning ways.

Pappoe confirmed that Gianfranco Zola is among the over 50 applicants that have applied for the Stars job, saying “I have cited his application”.

The FA Vice President said his outfit will also head hunt for coaches outside the list of applicants if they are not satisfied with the quality of candidates who have so far applied for the job.

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 He said time was not on the side of the Continent for it to continue to get mired in endless conflicts to the detriment of her development, and called on African leaders not to allow anyone to drive a wedge between them.

President Mills made the call when he met with African Ambassadors in Beijing on Tuesday, on the third day of his five-day state visit to China.

He acknowledged the massive economic transformation in China within the last three decades, and wondered why Africa’s development had been slow despite the continent’s vast natural and human resources. President Mills appealed to the Ambassadors to take advantage of their presence in the Asian nation to study the operations of the Chinese system and apply their experience in practical terms to the development of their home countries.

He registered his appreciation to the Chinese government for the impressive reception accorded he and his entourage comprising Ministers of State, Ghanaian investors, entrepreneurs and business people, since their arrival, and explained that the Chinese development experience was a demonstration of what could be achieved in Africa with focus and unity of purpose.

President Mills reiterated his message that the only justification for being in leadership was for governments to provide the right environment for their citizens to thrive and to use the resources of the state to improve the standard of living of the people. Stressing that African leaders had to interact regularly to exchange ideas, President Mills called for more co-operation and collaboration among nations on the continent and more intra- African trade to bridge the development gap between Africa and the developed world.

He announced that his Administration was charting a new path of development under the “Better Ghana” agenda, and called on leaders to subject their individual interests to the national interest, and to ensure that they did not abandon the very people who elected them into power.

Later in an interview with the China Central Television, President Mills expressed Ghana’s interest to collaborate with the host nation in the area of sports.

Ghana which emerged as a quarter finalists in the recently held FIFA World Cup soccer competition in South Africa, would make available her expertise in football and expect China to coach her in gymnastics, President Mills indicated. 22 Sept 10

 - – - -  Source: GNA

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Vodafone Ghana and Research In Motion (RIM), on Saturday outdoor one of the world’s smart-mobile-phone “BlackBerry” brand to the Ghanaian telecommunication market.

Features of the Vodafone Blackberry solution include smartphone software, sound communication, calendar portal, multimedia and other inbuilt apparatus that allow easy wireless access to the world wide web, and extra security for business and lifestyle applications.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, Mr William A. Darkah, Head of Enterprise Operations, Vodafone Ghana, said the introduction of the new product was inline with the company’s promise to its customers to provide reliable service and product as part of it forth night camping dubbed “Power to You”.

BlackBerry is a line of mobile e-mail and smartphone devices, developed and designed by Canadian company (RIM) since 1996 as a personal digital assistant with address book, calendar and to-do list capabilities.

It also functions as a portable media player with video playback and camera facilities and has the ability to send and receive (push) Internet e-mail wherever mobile network service coverage is present.

According to Mr Darkah, “BlackBerry is mainly a messaging phone with the largest array of messaging features in a smartphone, which includes auto-text, auto-correct, text prediction, support for many languages, keyboard shortcuts, text emoticons, push email, push Facebook and Myspace notifications, among others.”

Mr Marc Norris, Director, Consumer Fixed Vodafone Ghana, said users of smart-mobile-phone would enjoy the freedom and productivity benefits of staying in touch with their family and business panthers through the numerous technological offers.

“For the first time in the country, Vodafone prepaid customers can get daily unlimited browsing and electronic mails for only GH¢ 5.00; weekly unlimited browsing and e-mails for GH¢ 15.00 and monthly unlimited browsing, emails with 100 minutes of calls and 50 Short Messaging Service (SMS) for GH¢ 45.00.

“Vodafone Ghana offers the full and current range of BlackBerry devices offering our customers the mobility, convenience, security and efficiency that is necessary to run their virtual office,” Mr Norris stated.

He explained that Vodafone customers on post-paid service would also enjoy 100 minutes of calls to all networks in countries including Ghana, the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom (fixed only).

Mr Norris said that the package also includes three gigabytes of data for GH¢ 35.00 per month.

He said that “For as little as GH¢ 75.00 per month, post-paid customers will receive a free BlackBerry smartphones, enjoy 400 minutes of calls to all networks in Ghana, the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom (fixed only), as well as three gigabytes of data, 200 free SMS and free calls among their user group.

Mr Deon Liebenberg, Regional Director of RIM for Sub-Sahara Africa, said: “Successful businesses in the 21st century would require superior technological solutions that give them the edge over their competitors.

He said, the Blackberry storm, Blackberry curve 8900, 8520, Blackberry bold 9700, smartphones are well balanced mobile phones that deliver advanced features, refined usability and stylish designs.

Source: GNA/Ghana

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The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has been adjudged the “Most Innovative African Stock Exchange for 201.”  This was at the Africa investor (Ai) Index Series Awards held at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) last Friday, according to a statement issued by the GSE in Accra on Monday.

The statement said: “The Africa investor Index Series Awards are the only international pan-African awards that recognize and reward Africa’s institutional investors, stock exchanges, best-performing listed companies, stockbrokers and capital market regulators.”

It said the awards assessed performance between April 2009 and April 2010.

It quoted Mr Hubert Danso, Vice President and Managing Director of Ai, as saying: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to profile African capital market success stories through the Africa investor Index Series Awards. The quality and quantity of entries received this year is testament to Africa’s increasing appeal to the global investment community.”

It said the awards ceremony coincided with the annual Africa investor (Ai) Index Series Awards Summit held in association with NYSE Euronext in New York.

It said the summit brought together international investors, African Chief Executive Officers, pension funds and capital market professionals to explore investment partnerships in African listed equities.

The statement said the GSE topped the “Most Innovative Stock Exchange” category out of a group of seven African Stock Exchanges nominated.

Source: GNA

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Police Chief Inspector Eric Twum-Frimpong, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Simon Ofori, was a driver who resides at Old Akim Tafo.  He said in November 2009, Ofori confided in a friend that he bought a Kia pride saloon car imported from Togo at Kumasi at the cost of GHC 4,300 but the seller failed to hand over all the documents covering the car to him.

 The prosecutor said Ofori’s friend, then introduced Opoku to him as a customs officer who could assist in the registration.  He said Opoku demanded GHC 1,000 from Ofori to be used to secure all the documents.  Ofori later paid the money and handed over the car to Opoku. Inspector Twum-Frimpong said Opoku failed to return the car and when Ofori demanded for his car and money, the accused could not produce them.

He said Opoku pleaded with Ofori to give him sometime to return both the money and the car but could not do so after the given period. Ofori lodged a complaint with the police Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Opoku was arrested. After investigations, he was charged with the offences and arraigned before court. Inspector Twum-Frimpong said Opoku was granted police enquiry bail to report back on July 2 but he failed to do so.

 He said Opoku’s mother, Abena Amoakoa and his wife, Ama Gyemea stood sureties for him, but several efforts made on the two sureties to produce Opoku for further investigation failed.  The prosecutor said on August 17, the sureties were served with a process to appear before the court to explain why they had not been able to produce Opoku to the police.  He said on August 23, upon a tip off, the police arrested Ama at Oyoko who had packed her belongings and that of Opoku into a Kia truck from New Tafo and was heading towards Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.  Later Opoku was also arrested in Koforidua.

GNA

Structures in the sub metros, Dr Vanderpuiye said, had been identified and would be used to accommodate the pupils until the millennium school projects are completed. More than 70,000 pupils have four hours of teaching under the shift system instead of the normal eight hours of study. He gave the briefing at a meeting of the assembly in Accra, attended by the Reverend Joseph Neal, a representative of the US South Carolina House Representatives, and Dr Norma Lozano-Jackson, Vice President of Benedict College, South Carolina. 

 The two, partners in the millennium City Initiative, are in country to evaluate the implementation of the project in the areas of Education, Agriculture and Alternative Energy Sources.  To complement the AMA initiative, the Ministry of Education would provide 25,000 dual desks, cupboards and chairs for teachers for the smooth take off the programme. 

 The Metropolitan Education Directorate was compelled to adopt the shift system some years ago under which a classroom was shared between two classes in the mornings and afternoons.  This, the mayor said, was “unfair to our future leaders,” hence the need to arrest the situation before the completion of some modern classrooms in the  metropolis.

According to the mayor, researchers from the Earth Institute in the US, on the Millennium City Project, have completed an in-depth research on Housing, Transport and Waste Management in Ga Mashie, Nima and New Town. Another team would be in the country in October to research into other areas in the Metropolis to be followed by a review meeting in New York and another meeting in Accra, in March next year, he said.

On Waste Management, he noted that, the AMA would donate 5000 refuse bins to management companies as a way of helping them to assist poor households and shops to make waste collection easier and convenient by August 31. The AMA, he said, in collaboration with the Chief Justice had established sanitation courts which would be inaugurated soon to help enforce their byelaws, adding that, the AMA was committed to ensure that Accra becomes cleaner despite its challenges. 

Dr Lozano-Jackson told the meeting that her nine-day stay in the country had been an eye opener and noted that her school would institute exchange programmes and help build the capacity of teachers based on the information gathered. Rev. Neal announced that another 12 assembly members would be given the opportunity to visit in September to learn more about the South Carolina House of Representatives and how the state operates. 

 This would bring to 22 assembly members who would have been offered the opportunity to be visit South Carolina.  The State, he said, would offer technical support in the area Food Security, Agriculture and Alternative Energy Sources.  The AMA administration said their goal is that at the beginning of the school term in September, this year, the 71,000 pupils who are running the shift system should begin to enjoy full school work and do all it can to  make Accra a city benefiting it status.

GNA

He said the publication in the “Chronicle” newspaper “is a blatant lie aimed at deceiving the NPP.”  Mr. Frimpong told the Ghana News Agency investigations conducted by NDC regional executives in the constituency had revealed that the publication was unfounded.  He cited that the same paper “deceived Ghanaians of numerous defections by NDC members before the 2008 general election.”  “It is a strategy used by the paper as a propaganda machinery to canvass for votes for NPP in the 2012 general elections”, Mr Frimpong added.

He urged supporters of the NDC not to panic over such publications as the party was working tirelessly to retain power in 2012 so it could continue with its good works towards the socio-economic development of the country. Mr. Frimpong assured members of the NDC in the constituency as well as in the region to remain steadfast and not to panic but to remain committed to the party.

GNA

He said almost two years that President John Atta Mills was sworn into office he had not been able to initiate any meaningful policies and programmes that could alleviate Ghanaians from the current economic hardship. Nana Akufo-Addo said due to that the Ghanaian electorate would show the NDC government the exit in 2012.

 He said this when he addressed party supporters in some communities as part of the campaign towards the forthcoming by-election at Atiwa.
Some of the communities he visited where he introduced the Parliamentary Candidate of the party, Mr Kwasi Amoako Attah, to the electorate included New Jejeti, Abakoase, Subiriso, Awosoase, Osoroase, Asunafo and Abomosu. Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana under the NPP government witnessed good and quality leadership, which brought a lot of development and economic growth to the country.

He said what the NDC was doing now was to continue the good policies and programmes the NPP government initiated and implemented. Nana Akufo Addo therefore called on the Ghanaian electorate to return the NPP to power in 2012 to come and continue the good policies they started.
He also urged the electorate at Atiwa to be vigilant and report any stranger who would attempt to vote in next week’s by- election to the police.

Mr Amoako-Attah on his part said he had contributed immensely to the development of the area and appealed to the electorate to vote for him to continue the development projects his predecessor, the late Kwasi Ankamah, started.

GNA

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 This was made known by the leader of the five-member team from the CRC, Nana Otu Towrac, which toured six towns in the Kwaebibirem District to collate the views of the people.  The towns visited included Akwatia, Pramkese, Abodom, Nkwantanang, Apinamang and Takrowase.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Nana Towrac, said the organizations were expected to contribute ideas to enhance constitutional rule in the country.

He said district level consultations that started in April would end on September 30.  Nana Towrac said the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and assembly members had been supportive with the organisation of the district consultations. He stated that every individual’s view was vital and urged chiefs, assembly members and opinion leaders to mobilize their people to fully participate in the review exercise.

 Nana Towrac indicated that a rare opportunity was being given for citizens to be part of the government process, adding that, the current constitution had been operative since 1993 and it was being reviewed for the first time. He observed that since it may take a long time before another review, “This is an opportunity for citizens to have a say in the laws that govern them and take part in the democratic process.” 

At Akwatia, members had a public meeting and paid a courtesy call on the Akwatiahene, Osabarima Kofi Boateng III.  The visit gave the chief the opportunity to express his views and he suggested the election of chief executives of local assemblies.  He said the people should have the right to choose those who should govern them at the local level.  Nana Akwatiahene also called for a second chamber of Parliament, in which chiefs would be amply represented as they are barred from taking part in partisan politics.

 The Akwatiahene’s submission on the election of head of local assemblies was met with mixed reactions, as some felt the present arrangement should continue. Others suggested that district level elections should be on partisan basis because it is common knowledge that political parties are sponsoring candidates. Some participants were of the view that too much power was vested in the President and said a non-partisan committee should be set up to make appointments, especially, to public boards.

GNA