Mills works from Jubilee House for first time

President Mills is working from the Golden Jubilee House for the first time today.

He is receiving letters of credence from various diplomats assigned to Ghana.

This will be the president's first official use of the palace since assuming office ten months ago.

And it follows several criticisms that the edifice built at the cost of $80 million was being left to go waste.

Joy News' correspondent at the presidency, Steve Anti, says the president is likely to return to the Osu castle once the ceremonies to receive the diplomats are over.

Meanwhile, the president has indicated he wouldn't mind sharing the Golden Jubilee House with staff of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The presidency was reacting to suggestions that President Mills may never relocate to the new edifice after it was allocated, albeit temporary, to the Foreign Affairs Ministry whose official offices were gutted some three weeks ago.

Presidential spokesperson Mahama Ayariga explains that the residence is big enough to accommodate both the presidency and the ministry.

"The use of that wing [at the palace] does not disturb the future decision to use that facility. In fact the edifice is so huge that the ministry can operate from there even whilst the president is there. The fact of the minister being there does not in any way preclude the president moving in there as and when he deems it fit," Mr Ayariga said.

Mr. Ayariga also dismissed concerns that the number of people visiting the Foreign Ministry while it operates from the Jubilee House may pose a security threat to the presidency.

Joy News sources at the presidency suggest some aspects of the president's operation might soon be transferred into the Presidential Palace.

Source : myjoyonline.com

Passion for Needy supports Nsawam Medium Prison inmates

Goods worth GH¢4,142 have donated by Passion for Needy Association a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) to the inmates of the Nsawam male and female medium prisons at Nsawam in the eastern region.

The items donated by the NGO formed by senior Prophet T.B Joshua as part of his objectives of reaching out to the needy in society included, two plasma television sets, two satellite dishes including installation equipments and quantities of bar soap, washing powder and sanitary rolls.

Mrs. Janet Torgbor El-Aschker, chairperson of Passion for Needy Association who made the presentation on behalf of Prophet T.B Joshua said the donation was in line with the organization’s aim of supporting Government’s efforts in addressing the needs of the inmates.

DSP Samuel Adzewodah, Staff Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, who received the donated items on behalf of the inmates, thanked the NGO for their benevolence. He commended the NGO for their kind gesture and most especially remembering the inmates.

Present at the ceremony were Co-chairpersons of Passion for needy Maame Araba Dadson and Divine Edem Manche. Others included some members of the NGO.

Source: Isaac Ametepe

Passion for Needy Association supports two visually impaired with GH¢ 500

Passion for Needy Association Non Governmental organization (NGO), formed by Prophet T.B Joshua paid an amount of five hundred Ghana cedis GH¢ 500 for two visually impaired persons to pursue a study in reflexology at Parliament House in Accra.
The donation forms part of the organizations objectives of training the physically challenged was made by Mrs. Janet El-Aschkar, the Chairperson of Passion for Needy Association. The beneficiaries, Ruth Aguure and Franklin Osei Opoku thanked the organization for their kind gesture and promised to make good use of the opportunity to the benefit of others in society.
Alhaji Ibrahim Gombila, Deputy Clerk of Parliament of Ghana also thanked the NGO for their benevolence. Present at the donation ceremony was Maame Araba Dadson, Co-chairperson of Passion for Needy Association.
In a related development, an amount of five hundred and ninety-three Ghana cedis GH¢ 593 was presented to Maame Ewura Abena, a student of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) Legon, to persue a program in Diploma and Business Studies(DBS).
Passion for Needy Association, as part of its plans will soon start the construction of a training centre on 50 acres of land donated to them by Nan Ofori Okoh, Chief of Anomabo Pra-Ewusi to train the youth and physically challenged in society.
Source: Isaac Ametepe

Standard Bank wins ‘Best Investment Bank from Africa’ Award

Standard Bank reinforced its credentials as a leading emerging market bank, winning the prestigious ‘Best Investment Bank from Africa’, award in The Banker’s Investment Banking Awards 2009.

The Awards, held at London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel, recognizes excellence in investment banking around the world.

Standard Bank (20% owned by ICBC, the biggest bank in the world) - is the largest African banking group ranked by assets and earnings and operates in 17 countries in Africa, employing more than 50,000 people.

Commenting, Brian Caplen, Editor of The Banker magazine said: "We are very pleased to recognize Standard Bank's achievements in building up an investment banking presence across Africa and especially in some of the frontier markets. The bank has also been in a strong position to take advantage of international opportunities such as purchasing a stake in Troika Dialog in Russia. It's a successful formula that will be watched with interest in the months ahead."

Rupert Boyd, Managing Director, Global Head of Investor Coverage, Standard Bank, Corporate and Investment Banking said: “Standard Bank has an unparalleled depth of personnel and expertise in Africa and has been actively involved in the continent’s economic fortunes for over 145 years. While this award recognizes this fact, it is also a reflection of some of the innovative and unique deals that the team have been involved in over the past twelve months; whether that be acting as Joint Issuing House/Arranger and Primary Dealer to the N275 billion Lagos State Debt Issue or as the Lead Mandated Arranger of the USD240 million Tanesco Limited loan. Furthermore, our strategic partnership with Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has laid the foundation for significant expansion of trade and investment between China and Africa, and has been a defining milestone for Standard Bank.”

Standard Bank is a leading African banking group focused on emerging markets globally. It has been a mainstay of South Africa's financial system for over 145 years, and now spans 17 countries across the African continent. Its international expansion has taken it to 16 countries outside Africa

Standard Bank Plc in London is the bank's principal international subsidiary. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, and is a member of the London Stock Exchange, the London Bullion Market Association, the London Metal Exchange, the London Platinum and Palladium Market and the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX Division).
Source: Esi Johnson/platformghana.com

ECOWAS considers citizens in decision making

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has started a process that aims at encouraging citizens' participation in ECOWAS decisions and activities. The programme, called: "Community Development Programme," hopes to transform West Africa into a borderless region where ordinary citizens can enjoy free movement and trade amongst themselves. Mr Traore Kalilou, Director at the Ivorian Ministry of Regional Integration, said there was low level involvement in ECOWAS activities by non-state actors in the region hence the need for the CDP programme to make the ordinary ECOWAS citizen enjoy the privileges of ECOWAS. He said this at a workshop organized by ECOWAS for civil society organizations within the sub region to share ideas on the structure of the CDP and make inputs where necessary. The workshop brought together about 50 civil society actors and media personnel from Nigeria, Cote D' Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Cape Verde and Senegal The CDP, which is still at the planning stage, when established, would facilitate the creation of a region where people can live in dignity and peace under the rule of law and good governance in each of the member states. Mr Kalilou said regional integration was one of the solutions to the development problems in Africa. Mr Ken Ukaoha, a civil society actor from Nigeria, said after 38 years of ECOWAS, the region appeared not to have moved closer to development and integration as was originally envisaged. Comparing ECOWAS to the European Union he said in Europe people, even non citizens who have a visa are able to move freely from one European country to the other, however, the story is not the same in ECOWAS. "Even travelling from Ghana to Cote d'Ivoire, can take people two days because of immigration demands," Mr Ukaoha said. He said civil society organizations could help get the ordinary person integrated into ECOWAS since they are usually in touch with people at the local level. "The Community Development Programme aims at realizing the ECOWAS heads of States and government's vision 2020 of a transition from ECOWAS heads of states to ECOWAS of people," Mr Ukaoha said.

Source:GNA

Africa Media Leadership Conference opens

African Media owners are meeting in Accra to examine how they can harness and "monetise" the continent's growing youthful audiences heavily reliant on digital media channels as their sources of news, information and entertainment.The three-day Annual Media Conference (AMLC) on the theme "Learning from the Future: Africa's Media Map in 2009", would examine efforts by African media institutions to tap the youth market and the 'digital natives' and what they could learn from other parts of the world. It is jointly sponsored by Rhodes University's Sol Plaatjie Institute for Media leadership (SPI) and Konrad Adenaur Foundation (KAS).In a speech read for Vice President John Dramani Mahama, Deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said African governments must soon learn that the media was a partner in governance and not an opponent and should allow the provision of appropriate legislation that would create avenue for freedom of expression and proper training for journalists to improve their professional standards on the continent. He said government would continue to create an enabling environment where journalists could report freely, critically and responsibly to support the goals of democracy, economic development and human rights. Media owners and publishers, he said, had a critical role in assisting society to face challenges such as political intolerance, election mal-practices, cyber fraud, women and child abuse, and charged them to dramatically redefine media business and journalism. Vice President Mahama enjoined the media to eschew irresponsible journalism and to be agents of development and progress rather than agents of conflict, retrogression and destruction. Mr Francis Mdlongwa, Director of Rhodes University's Sol Plaatjie Institute for Media leadership (SPI) said the conference was a sequel to the one organised last year that broadly examined how Africa's media was embracing new media platforms as a source of additional audience reach and revenue.He said the conference would also examine challenges facing long established newspaper, radio and television stations for survival in the face of the proliferation of digital media platforms. "Listeners, viewers and readers are increasingly agitating for their own specific news content at their own time and place, and using preferred media platforms. Today's media audiences are not just producing, selecting and customising their news and information content, but they are also essentially re-defining the role, identity and purpose of journalism and media companies, "he said.Mr Klaus Loetzer, KAS Country Representative, said the conference was launched in 2002 as a strategy for formulation, networking and sharing of ideas and experiences by African media practitioners.

GNA

Editor speaks on Nkrumah in London via telephone.

The Editor of Ghanaianreactoronline.com,Michael Father Amedor will be speaking on Press TV,London today at 14:30 GMT to voice out his view on the topic "whether Nkrumah’s vision for Ghana was able to be achieved, or was power used to serve other purposes?" through a telephony interview.

The Editor recieved the invitation yesterday via email and can be confirmed. This interview will be granted by Sarah Khalil a Tv producer at Africa Today for Press TV, (www.presstv.com) who is currently producing a show in the light of the Nkrumah@100 celebrations.

The intended interview is expected to last several hours. Other topics to also incude the interview are "commenting on Ghana’s current development status" among others.

Source: Ghanaianraectoronline.com