Scandal Rocks GJA Awards?

The 13th Ghana Journalist Association {GJA} Awards which recently under the distinguished chairmanship of His Excellency Blay Amihere, Ghana’s ambassador to Cote D’Ivoir and patronized by the Vice President Alhali Aliu Mahama, with the Chief Justice Her Ladyship Justice Theodora Georgina Wood as the special guest of honour could not produce any journalist of the year.

Though about 10 journalists were awarded in 10 different categories for their meritorious services to mother Ghana, the organizers say in their view none of them excelled enough to be crowned with the envious title of journalist of the year 2008. This accession has however generated tense debate among the general public as well as practitioners of the inky fraternity casting dark clouds over the kind of journalistic standards we have in the country today.

One would be tempted to agree with the organizers when they say that any body crowned as journalist of the year represents the face of the profession in the country at a particular moment, and indeed this cannot be put any better.

However, precedents before and after the just ended event of the association suggest that all did not go well and that the outcome could have been better.
Concerns have been raised about the low publicity given to the receiving of nominations for the awards while many industry practitioners have complained that they did not even know nominations were opened. “All we heard was that the list of names shortlisted for the awards were out, so we ask, from what list did they do the short listing, what was the criteria used in the short listing?” asked an aggrieved reporter from one of the private media houses.

The organizers, GJA, have also been asked to answer or explain reasons why no body from any of the numerous private media houses doted all over the country was able to win a single award. Curious minds say they suspect foul play and opined that the whole thing is an attempt to deny somebody of a national honour. To the accusers something is not right and for which they are calling for an independent probe into the GJA awards.

Ghanaimage has it on authority that the winner of the best reporter in the print category, Mr. Innocent Appiah, of the Ghanaian Times newspaper was recommended by the awards committee because his work had impressed them, however, out of the blue came an “order from above” ordering that the gentleman should not be given the title. No explanation came with this order.

Though it was announced at the event that there were no winners for some categories such as best feature for radio and television among others it is alleged that the order that denied Appiah his title also insisted that some names be taken off the list ”And the irony of it all is that the order came at a time when it was too late to re-organize anything.” Our source lamented.

Even though the president of the association, Mr. Ransford Tetteh announced during the 15th anniversary celebration of the Parliamentary press corps that the association had decided to include parliamentary reporting category in this year’s event to encourage parliamentary democracy in Ghana it was evident that no such category was announced during the. Members of the corps in an interview with ghanaimage expressed their disappointment at the GJA saying “We had sacrificed ourselves with the expectation that for once one of us will be walking home with a plaque but as you can see our hopes never materialized”

They hoped that the GJA is not being manipulated by any political authority to its advantage especially in this election year because such a scandal will spell doom for Ghana’s fragile democracy.
So who is influencing the GJA awards? Is it a political or social influence that denied Appiah and others their awards? Or is it simply a show of super power by some power drunk group of individuals. Posterity stands the judge…………….

Meanwhile a group calling itself the Progressive Journalists Union {ProJUG} has also expressed its disappointment at the GJA’s inability to produce an overall journalist for this year.

The union is of the view that Ghana abounds with a lot of quality journalists and that it is time the GJA as an umbrella body do more to encourage the practitioners to perform better. The President of ProJUG, Mr. Baafuor Kwadwo Asare, said his group is organizing an alternative award system to honour hard working journalists in the country. “Our awards will be called All Journalists Awards and it will not be discriminatory, we shall be open, free and fair.” He stated

VALCO To Go Despite Public Outcry

In the wake of the recent fiasco that engulfed the sale of the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), by government to some international consortium, there are indications factually pointing out that government is determined to let the national aluminium smelter go no matter what.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Dr Charles Mensah, has therefore indicated that more foreign companies have expressed interest in VALCO’s stake, and are currently processing relevant documents to acquire it.

Though both VALCO management and government officials have kept tight lips on who and from where is making what offer, ghanaimage’s investigations have revealed that it is government’s own desperation that’s leading it to let 70% of the company go so it can get some funding to supplement some budget deficits.

We further gathered that government is making frantic efforts to cover the recent embarrassment the deal brought on the international image of VALCO and Ghana as a whole.

As part of the damage control mechanism government has commenced intensive Media publicity using some influential “senior journalists” and media outlets in the country to propagate the message that “the embattled national aluminium smelter was still attractive to investors and that government is currently in serious discussion with some of the investors who have expressed interest in the company.” The said media practitioners are being rewarded handsomely for this service, we can say on authority.

Last week Companhi Vale do Rio Doce (Vale), the Brazilian iron ore giant and Norway’s Norsk Hydro, both pulled out of an initial agreement to purchase 70% of the aluminium smelter at an estimated US$ 175.5m.

Both companies are partners in the International Aluminium Partners (IAP), a consortium that was claimed to have approached the government of Ghana to buy off the 70 per cent stake in VALCO.
Government’s reason for selling off major stakes in the aluminium smelter stems from the fact that it proposed an integrated aluminium industry for the country’s vast bauxite reserves. An integrated aluminium industry has a direct positive

Used Car Dealers Bite Government

The Used Car Dealers Association of Ghana has expressed dissatisfaction about the way government is treating their members who are on the Tetteh-Quarshie to Mallam junction road, also known as the George Bush Motorway.

According to the aggrieved members of the association even though they contribute over US $700 000 to the country’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) government’s recent actions are threatening their livelihood, which is likely to cause them their daily bread and these they will not allow.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, the general secretary of the association, Nana Bugyei stated that following the announcement of the commencement of work on the re-construction of the George Bush motor-way into a three way lane with two interchanges there was the understanding between them and government that they be re-located to a suitable location.

The said construction is being undertaken with funds from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) which is being managed by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA).

However, the used car dealers say they have not seen any sign of government’s commitment towards honoring this promise “and we are increasingly worried”. They further accused the government of sidelining them for a rival association, The Greater Accra Used Car Dealers Association, which has a lesser number of membership compared to theirs which is national in nature.

They claimed the rival association has been offered a land on the spintex road for relocation but they have not been offered any and with the commencement of the motorway expansion project, they fear for the immediate future of their business.

The association insists that government must re-locate them and that they are not ready to accept any compensation because no amount of compensation will work for them. Citing the Accra street hawkers as an example they call on government to give them a comfortable place which can serve as a general pool for used cars.

“We won’t mine even if we are asked to take the Achimota forest and develop it for this purpose” stated Nana Bugyei.

Parliament Flouts Laws?

Ghana’s legislature which has been powered by the constitution of the land to make laws for the entire citizenry has been caught flouting its own rules and regulations. An act which has been widely criticized by eye witnesses who realized its voluminous implications for generations to come.

They are therefore asking whether there is any good in voting for a group of people who are suppose to make laws for us to keep yet can’t keep their own internal bylaws.

The said act of disobedience of the law by our parliamentarians was championed by the first deputy speaker of the house, Hon. Freddy Blay who ought to have known better.

On Monday when the house met to deliberate on the day’s business, attendance was so poor that one of their own, Hon. Francis Agbotse had to draw the deputy speaker’s attention to the issue of quorum, for which reason he thinks that the sitting should be postponed.

In fact, section 48(1) and {2} of the house’ standing orders clearly states that if at the time of the commencement of official business of the house attendance is less than one third of the entire population of the house excluding the one presiding, and if a member draws the speaker’s attention to this, the speaker shall postpone sitting for 10 minutes and if after 10 minutes the house still does not form a quorum, the one presiding should adjourn sitting for the day.

However, this was not the case. Despite the fact that Hon. Agbotse drew the deputy speaker’s attention to the fact that only 12 out of the 230 member house was present in the house as at the time of its commencement, Hon. Blay, shunned him and allowed the sitting to go on .

Even though it was realized that most of the MPs dumped their responsibilities in the house to go and witness the commissioning of an uncompleted presidential palace for President JAK, the issue here is not about where the members were or why they were absent; it is about the gross disrespect for the law as displayed by a high profile personality as the First Deputy speaker of parliament who is known to be a responsible lawyer.

Okro Mouth insists that Freddy Blay has disrespected the people of Ghana and so must be made to apologize.

Do I have the support of someone here, say yeah…yeah!

Minority Fumes Over Proposed VALCO Sale

The minority group in parliament is threatening another showdown in the house following government’s intention to sell part of its shares in Volta Aluminium Company Limited {VALCO}.

Similar to that of last year during the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone plc of the United Kingdom the minority says it is ready to battle government to the core over the deal. Government has initiated moves to offload 70% of its wholly owned stakes in the VALCO to a foreign consortium; International Aluminium Partners (IAP) , barely a year after it bought over 100 per cent of company from aluminium giant Alcoa.

The proposed sale of VALCO’s 70 percent stakes has been valued at US$175.5m. Instructively, Parliament would have to approve the transaction before it becomes valid.Last week, the agreement was laid before Parliament by the Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiative, Papa Owusu Ankomah.

However, even before the committee report could be presented to the House, the minority group is kicking against the motion, citing the need for proper assessment to establish whether there was a need to sell or not to sell the proposed stakes in the national aluminium smelter.

“The minority after a careful study of the agreement and transactions wishes to call on the government to suspend the transaction to allow for a proper determination and valuation of the financial worth of VALCO by an independent valuer,” stated Haruna Iddrisu, the group spokesperson on communications.

Critics of the sale have expressed concerns about the provisions embodied in the agreement saying they were inimical to the economic interest of the country and general future of the aluminium industry in Ghana.Sections of the agreement demands VALCO to enter into a binding and irrevocable power purchase agreement or electricity supply agreement with the VRA.

According to the agreement, an initial payment of $25m shall be made to the consortium within fifteen days from the execution of the agreement and the balance, upon approval of the agreement by parliament.“The indecent haste with which the government wants to push this very important transaction in the last days of this parliament and the administration is mindboggling,” States the opposition parliamentarians.

This controversial move by government comes in the wake of the recent buy-over of the smelter from its former stakeholders in what it described as a repurchase of a national strategic asset.Government recently bought over ALCOA’s 10% stake in the now dormant 200,000 tone capacity VALCO smelter for $2 million.

Inspite of the relatively stable power supply in the country now, ALCOA willingly offloaded its shares.Government’s purchase of ALCOA’s remaining 10% shares in VALCO means a total buy-out of ALCOA from VALCO because government had initiatially repossessed 90% of the smelter from the American company.Meanwhile, government has proposed an integrated aluminium industry which the country’s bauxite will be mined, refined and processed to near-end products in the country.

The integrated aluminium industry would also link to the railway system in the country which depends largely on the transportation of bauxite for its revenues.